Sunday

Ravens pick off Steelers in overtime

The champs are on the ropes.

Third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon protected the ball well for four quarters but a turnover in overtime led to the winning points as the Steelers blew a three-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost 20-17 to the Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday night.

Both AFC North rivals are 6-5 and tied with Jacksonville atop the conference wild-card standings with five weeks to play. Billy Cundiff forced overtime with a 24-yard field goal with 1:51 to go in regulation then hit a 29-yarder with 6:42 remaining in overtime to lift the Ravens.

Dixon, filling in for injured starter Ben Roethlisberger and backup Charlie Batch, threw an interception to Paul Kruger in overtime, setting up the Ravens’ winning field goal. The second-year QB out of Oregon had staked the Super Bowl champion Steelers to a 17-14 lead on a 24-yard TD run with 6:24 to play. But the Pittsburgh defense couldn’t prevent Joe Flacco and Ray Rice from moving Baltimore within field-goal range, despite the fact the Ravens started on their own 10-yard line with 6:16 to play in the fourth quarter. Rice reeled off a 44-yard, fourth-down run to set up Cundiff’s tying field goal.

The point spread was 2.5 in favor of the Ravens. The total was just under 38.

More Week 12 NFL results and football news
Titans win a thriller
Eagles edge Redskins
Colts stun Texans to stay perfect