Ravens CB Gives Steelers Surprising Compliment

A Pittsburgh Steelers foe in the AFC North commended the team's propensity for winning close games.

Dec 11, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) looks on from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Baltimore won 16-14. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to pull out wins in close games, and a rival cornerback took notice by commending the team's ability to consistently stay within an arm's length of their opponent and ultimately finish the job.

Baltimore Ravens star Marlon Humphrey raised this point during the most recent episode of his Punch Line podcast, stating that the Steelers seemingly always find ways to come out on top when opposing teams can't put them away.

"If you let them stick around, they're gonna beat you," Humphrey said. "I feel like that's how it is when we play in our division. It's like the Browns now. You let them stick around, they beat you. But the Steelers are like the top, if you let them stick around, they just beat you at the end. It's crazy to think about."

There's merit for Humphrey's take, as the Steelers and Ravens have played in eight-consecutive one score games dating back to the 2020 season. Pittsburgh has won seven of those matchups, so it should come as no surprise that he's made that observation.

The Steelers followed a similar formula in their Week 1 bout with the Atlanta Falcons, as they won by a score of 18-10 after trailing at halftime. The defense stepped up down the stretch and put a ton of pressure on Atlanta's offense while doing just enough on that side of the ball themselves to come out on top.

Humphrey attributes a lot of Pittsburgh's success in this case to Mike Tomlin, who has set a strong culture and helped the team develop a defensive-minded approach to the game as the league's longest-tenured head coach.

"They do find a will and a way," Humphrey said. "I've got a lot of respect for Mike Tomlin - I feel like that might just be his thing."

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