When breaking down how the Baltimore Ravens crushed the Pittsburgh Steelers by 20 points, it starts with how their offensive line bullied their division rivals up front.

The weakest position on the Ravens' last season, the offensive line paved the way for quarterback Joe Flacco and the running backs.

The offensive line allowed Joe Flacco and the Ravens to push ahead against the Steelers. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

The improvement is based on upgrading the makeup of the line. The Ravens traded for center Jeremy Zuttah, promoted right tackle Rick Wagner to the starting lineup and welcomed back a healthy Kelechi Osemele at left guard.

The progress is also the result of hard work. When players are coming off the field at the end of practice, it's common to see the offensive linemen going through drills with assistant Juan Castillo.

The offensive line made Flacco's night easier against the Steelers. He didn't get hit or sacked in any of his 29 dropbacks.

How significant is that? It's the first time Flacco has played the Steelers and not been sacked. In his previous 13 meetings with Pittsburgh, Flacco was sacked 33 times.

"Anytime you go against the Pittsburgh Steelers and I can stand back there and be pretty much untouched, it’s a nice feeling," Flacco said.

Flacco wasn't the only beneficiary of the offensive line's strong performance. The Ravens' running backs averaged 2.6 yards before contact, according to Pro Football Focus. That shows how much push the Ravens had on the line.

"The offensive line did a great job making holes," said running back Bernard Pierce, who ran for 96 yards, "and we just wore them down in the second half."