Matchups between the Steelers and Ravens aren’t traditionally high-scoring, but they are almost guaranteed to be exciting.
These intense rivals have engaged in some of the league’s most memorable defensive battles over the last three decades, including five showdowns during the playoffs in that span.
Pittsburgh delivered the most recent blow in the longtime conflict, toppling Baltimore by a 27-22 margin in Week 14. It was an unusually high-scoring affair for a game involving the Steelers and Ravens, as the 49 points the two teams combined for was nearly 10 points above the average total in their 64-game series.
It also represented a return to form for the Steelers, who hold a 37-27 all-time edge over the Ravens but lost each of the past two meetings, including a blowout 28-14 defeat in the Wild Card Round last year.
That loss resulted in a series of changes to Pittsburgh’s roster, including jettisoning incumbent quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and replacing them with Aaron Rodgers.
The future Hall of Famer put his own stamp on this rivalry, orchestrating a pivotal win that moved Pittsburgh into the driver’s seat of the AFC North race.
Baltimore faces some long odds of even reaching the postseason following its lopsided defeat on Sunday. That loss dropped the team back below .500 at an unfortunate time, as the Ravens face a brutal schedule that includes meetings with the Bengals, Patriots and Packers before a season-ending rematch versus Pittsburgh.
Don’t write the Ravens off, though. If they can find a way to win out, they’ll have a chance to not only reach the playoffs but also potentially even steal the AFC North away from Pittsburgh with a Week 18 win.
Doing so would set the stage for an epic rubber match in the 2026 NFL playoffs.