Lolley's post-Ravens thoughts

After a 4-hour drive and a one-hour nap, I've had enough time to digest what I saw Thursday night in Baltimore.

When I made my game prediction, I picked the Ravens with a couple of big reasons. Baltimore was going to rally the troops around what has been a tough week on the players - through the fault of a former teammate and the front office - and the road teams in Thursday night games have struggled.

I think we saw that to be the case on both fronts.

With Pittsburgh's loss, road teams are now 24-42 in these Thursday night debacles Roger Goodell created back in 2006. That's enough of a track record to show that there is a decided advantage for the home team in these games.

Of course, Goodell helped create the other issue, as well, by giving Ray Rice on a slap on the wrist for his elevator escapades.

@ While we're on the subject of taking my favorite Washington & Jefferson College graduate behind the wood shed, his rules on hitting have also turned the game into one that is no longer recognizable.

If Courtney Upshaw's hit on Ben Roethlisberger in the first quarter is no longer legal, I have no idea how a defender is supposed to tackle somebody.

Same goes for the hits that Troy Polamalu and Mike Mitchell were flagged for.

But somehow, the hit that knocked Antonio Brown woozy for a quarter and the one that Heath Miller took to the head that dislodged the football as he was being held up by another player are OK?

Ed Hochuli's crew should have been embarrassed to make any of those calls.

As Polamalu said after the game, "I think it's kind of funny because that is what you are used to seeing in this type of game."

Apparently, we can't see them any more.

@ Cam Thomas, I don't even know what to say about him other than I'm shocked it took the San Diego Chargers nearly a full season to put him on the bench if his play here was indicative of how he played the nose there.

I know he was signed to be a rotation guy here. The time for that has come. I don't care how many mistakes Stephon Tuitt makes, he should be seeing more time. At least he's athletic enough to not take out three teammates who are on their way to the football.

And there's the possibility he'll get better.

@ In all actuality, the defense wasn't horrible in this game. There, I said it.

The Ravens had 323 total yards and score two touchdowns. They had a first-and-goal from the 1 and didn't score a touchdown.

In fact, Justin Tucker kicked field goals from 30, 23, 22 and 20 yards in this game.

And if not for the aforementioned penalties on Polamalu and Mitchell, they might not have scored their second TD.

Everybody knew this defense was going to be a work in progress. There was, at least, some progress between the first and second games.

Prior to Justin Forsett's 41-yard run through a hole created by Thomas standing straight up and wiping out the other Steelers defensive linemen, the Ravens were averaging 2.7 yards per carry.

And four stops in the red zone isn't bad - though you'd like to get a few more pre-red zone stops.

But the offense has to live up to its end of the bargain as well.

And it just couldn't sustain drives.

Maybe that was because of Upshaw's hit early in the game. Roethlisberger just seemed to be off after that.

I still think this offense has the ability to be special, though. Le'Veon Bell again looked fantastic and Antonio Brown, despite taking what should have been a penalized shoulder to the head, came back and still produced. It would have been nice to have a nice, calming veteran such as Lance Moore out there to compliment things.

@ Once again, the Steelers are forcing no turnovers. And they now have four of their own.

Equally damning are the 20 penalties in two games. I've already said that two of those calls were highly questionable. But can somebody tell me why the Steelers seemingly thought the only way to tackle Steve Smith was by his facemask?