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Coach John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens may have been the victim of some poor refereeing on Sunday.

Neither do the Steelers. With the win — the latest in a string of stirring and resourceful performances — Pittsburgh’s now 11-3 and can set its sights on Tennessee, which lost to the Texans on Sunday.

Coming off last week’s 17-point fourth quarter outburst against Dallas in which they simply out-toughed the fragile Cowboys, the Steelers now have more evidence that — Walt Coleman or no — they are an incredibly tough-minded team.

The Steelers had horrific field position all game (their average starting point early in the third quarter was their own 15). Yet when they had to, they cobbled together a 12-play, 92-yard drive authored by Roethlisberger. The drive included a key third-and-10 completion to Nate Washington with 2:54 remaining that went for 16 yards.

Roethlisberger wasn’t outstanding statistically (22 of 40 for 246 yards with the touchdown and no picks). But he was — as he’s proven to be all season — outstandingly resourceful.

“(Roethlisberger) delivered,” sad Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “As he’s done time and time again. I think a lot has been said about our offensive struggles particularly in the last several weeks. One thing that is consistent is that, when we need plays, when we need to move the ball, we have.”

“Either you make plays or you don’t make plays,” said Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. “All game long, they didn’t make plays and on one drive they did. Whether you give up the drive in the first quarter or the fourth quarter, you gave up one drive. It was a great game, man. That’s the way football comes down and you’ve got to take it like that.”

It was a great game. A game for football aficionados, not the types that get priapism over gaudy fantasy numbers. Field position, special teams and the need to be acutely aware that every yard was going to be precious in a game with two of the NFL’s best defenses.

“It was a big-time regular season football game,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “It was about as big as a regular-season football game can get.”

One that deserved to be decided — unequivocally — by the players on the field.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 9 games STEELERS 28, BRONCOS 10: Roethlisberger throws 3 TDs COWBOYS 20, EAGLES 16: Austin’s TD puts Dallas atop NFC East COLTS 20, TEXANS 17: Indy's 17th-straight regular season win  |    Video SAINTS 30, PANTHERS 20: N.O. now 8-0 for first time in its history CHARGERS 21, GIANTS 20: N.Y. loses 4th straight  |    Video BUCS 38, PACKERS 28: Rookie QB leads Tampa to first win  |    Video PATRIOTS 27, DOLPHINS 17: Brady-Moss connection thrives  |    Video CARDINALS 41, BEARS 21: Warner tosses 5 TDs  |    Video BENGALS 17, RAVENS 7: Cincy cements AFC North status  |    Video FALCONS 31, REDSKINS 17: Atlanta gets into scuffle, still wins TITANS 34, 49ERS 27: Young improves to 2-0 as a starter this year SEAHAWKS 32, LIONS 20: Seattle overcomes 17-0 hole JAGUARS 24, CHIEFS 21: Chargers cast-off Chambers can't save K.C. Byes: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Rams, Vikings, Jets

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