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Suisham, Steelers nip Ravens

Oct 21, 2013 - 1:23 AM Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Shaun Suisham's fourth field goal of the game ended another close battle between AFC North rivals and gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a 19-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field.

Eight of the previous 10 meetings between these teams have been decided by three points, and Sunday proved no different.

Joe Flacco hit Dallas Clark in the back of the end zone to tie the game, 16-16, with 1:58 remaining, but Emmanuel Sanders returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards -- barely stepping out of bounds at the Pittsburgh 37-yard line -- to jump-start the game-deciding drive.

Consecutive receptions by Antonio Brown moved the Steelers into field-goal range, and Suisham remained perfect on the season and gave Pittsburgh (2-4) its second straight win after an 0-4 start.

"We put ourselves in this hole and we have to dig ourselves out," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said.

Baltimore (3-4) heads into its bye week having lost three of its last four.

"We have a lot of games to go. We have to continue to look forward and be confident," Flacco said. "It's going to be a dogfight."

Ben Roethlisberger was limited to 160 yards with a touchdown on 17-of-23 attempts, while Le'Veon Bell rejuvenated Pittsburgh's running attack with 93 yards on 19 carries.

Flacco threw for 215 yards, 64 coming on the game-tying drive when he completed 9-of-10 passes -- with four completions coming on short third-down plays, including his toss to Clark on 3rd-and-goal from the 1.

The Steelers converted an efficient 6-of-8 third down tries in the first half, three coming on a 10-play, 60-yard drive that ended with Heath Miller taking Roethlisberger's shovel pass and going in untouched for a 3-yard score -- the veteran tight end's first of the season.

Justin Tucker got the Ravens on the board in the final minute of the opening quarter with a 46-yard field goal, then added a 38-yarder just before the half after Miller lost a fumble near midfield.

Suisham booted a 34-yard field goal earlier in the second quarter, and tacked on 28-yarder with 3:01 remaining in the third quarter following another lengthy Pittsburgh drive. Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil had three penalties during the eight-minute march, including two on the same play.

Flacco fell forward for a first down on 4th-and-1 from the Pittsburgh 19 to keep the ensuing drive alive, but again the Steelers did not fold and forced a 32-yard Tucker field goal 1:56 into the fourth quarter.

Looking for a spark after settling for its third field goal of the game, the Ravens opted for a surprise onside kick.

The decision backfired as the Steelers recovered for good field position, but they too stalled just before the red zone and brought out Suisham for a 38- yard field goal and a 16-9 Steelers lead with 9:59 on the clock.

Game Notes

These teams play again in Baltimore on Thanksgiving Day ... Suisham is 14- for-14 on the season ... Miller became the fifth player in Steelers history to total 40 career touchdown receptions ... Brown led all receivers with six receptions for 50 yards ... Baltimore came into the game third in the NFL in sacks with 22 but only had one against Pittsburgh's porous offensive line ... Baltimore's Ray Rice was held to 45 yards on 15 carries ... The Ravens had won three straight regular-season tilts at Heinz Field.