Ray Rice: Fans support running back by wearing jersey; Ravens beat Steelers 26-6

Amid the controversy surrounding former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and his suspension for domestic violence, the Ravens still had a game to play Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the more interesting sites at the game was the number of Ravens fans, both men and women, wearing Rice's #27 jersey.

FOX Sports 1's Mike Garafalo spoke with some of the fans and decided to get their reasoning for the decision to don Rice's jersey.

One fan named Kathy tells Garafalo after he asked if she was trying to make a statement:

I'm making a statement. I don't believe in domestic violence. But I will say any woman who can hit a man, a man shouldn't have to sit there and take the abuse. The abuse goes both ways.

Kathy added, "As a woman she shouldn't have hit him. If I hit you I would expect you to hit me back. And that's just how that goes."

Another female fan offered:

Well, he's an upstanding citizen here in Baltimore. He's done a lot for the community and the reality is he made a mistake and he admitted it. He owned up to it, both him and his wife. They were punished for it and he's doing everything and anything they've asked him to do.

The Ravens have given fans who don't share these two fans' sentiment the chance to exchange their Rice jerseys.

Heading into last night's game there were many analysts who questioned how the Ravens would be able to focus through the controversy. However, the team was able to put together a win quite handily against the Steelers, scoring 26 points and holding Pittsburgh to six points.

"We had a tough family situation this week," coach John Harbaugh said according to ESPN, following the win. "I thought our guys handled it tremendously -- with class, with character. They responded."