BALTIMORE (AP) – Many wondered if the Baltimore Ravens were resilient enough to overcome the distraction of losing Ray Rice and the emotional stress caused by his release from the team.
The Ravens weren’t among the doubters.
Playing a pivotal divisional game three days after the release of the star running back, Baltimore (1-1) got a pair of touchdown passes from Joe Flacco and rolled past the rival Pittsburgh Steelers 26-6 on Thursday night.
“We’ve been through a lot together,” Flacco said. “No matter what it is, I think we’re a team that tends to group together through tough times. I never had a doubt that we (would) be able to come out here and go get a win tonight.”
Rice was reaching the end of a two-game suspension for domestic violence when a video of him striking his then-fiancee surfaced Monday. By the end of the day, the three-time Pro Bowler had been cut by Baltimore and suspended indefinitely by the NFL.