The Steelers-Ravens rivalry is traditionally staged — you may have heard this — in an overheated atmosphere of wanton violence, but this first 2015 episode somehow came off as relatively high brow.
More athleticism than outright menace, more art than concussive science, more choreography than usually turns up in this oft-celebrated spectacle of mayhem.
In fact and in overtime, Baltimore wound up winning a game of nationally televised footsie.
Justin Tucker thumped home three late field goals for the Ravens, Josh Scobee hit two and missed two for the Steelers, and the alleged best rivalry in football turned on a couple of skinny legs swung and mis-swung.