Steelers vs. Ravens: A decade-by-decade breakdown of the NFL’s best rivalry

It did not take lengthy for the Steelers and Ravens to transform one of the NFL’s best rivalries. While the rivalry is just a quarter century previous, there has already been a slew of epic video games between the two groups, with many of the ones video games serving to resolve which group would win the AFC North. A few occasions, the winner of this recreation went directly to constitute the AFC in the Super Bowl. 

On Sunday, the two groups will upload a brand new bankruptcy to this rivalry. The Steelers are hoping to get again heading in the right direction after being on the improper aspect of a 30-6 rating closing Sunday in Houston. The Ravens want to keep atop the AFC North department after a 3-1 get started. 

Before the two groups sq. off on Sunday, we determined to take a three-plus decade take a look at the Steelers-Ravens rivalry, a rivalry this is simply as intense now as it is ever been. 

Nineties

Overall H2H document: Steelers 6-2
Longest profitable streak: 5 (Steelers)
Best video games: Steelers 42, Ravens 34 (1997); Ravens 31, Steelers 24 (1999)

After profitable the first-ever recreation between the two groups, the ’96 Steelers, the protecting AFC champion, used to be disappointed by means of Baltimore in Week 14. Ironically, the two ratings had been the similar in each contests, with the winner prevailing each and every time by means of the rating of 31-17. In 1997, the Steelers, following a 2-2 get started, discovered themselves trailing the Ravens 21-0 in the first quarter and 24-7 at halftime. But led by means of Kordell Stewart’s 5 touchdowns (that incorporated a 74-yard run in the fourth quarter), Jerome Bettis’ 137 dashing yards and Yancey Thigpen’s 162 receiving yards, the Steelers prevailed 42-34 in what continues to be the biggest comeback in franchise historical past. In their Week 11 rematch in Pittsburgh, the Steelers recorded a 37-0 win that is still the greatest margin of victory in the rivalry’s historical past. 

While Pittsburgh swept the Ravens once more in 1998, the video games between the two groups had been hugely extra aggressive. And after the visiting Steelers edged the Ravens by means of 3 issues in Week 2 of the 1999 season, Baltimore in spite of everything broke thru in Week 14. Facing a reeling Steelers group that used to be in the midst of a six-game shedding streak, the Ravens prevailed 31-24 in what used to be their first victory in Pittsburgh. The Ravens had been led that day by means of working again Priest Holmes (130 yards, one landing) and receiver Qadry Ismail, who stuck 3 touchdowns whilst recording a Three Rivers Stadium record 258 receiving yards. 

2000s

Overall H2H document: Steelers 12-10 
Playoff H2H document: Steelers 2-0 
Longest profitable streak: 5 (Steelers) 
Best recreation: Steelers 23, Ravens 14 (2008 AFC Championship Game)

“There’s people on both teams that genuinely don’t like each other.”

Ben Roethlisberger’s quote from 2009 best describes the emotions between the Steelers and Ravens over the closing quarter-century. It used to be very true in the 2000s when each franchises fought each and every different a minimum of two times a 12 months. During the decade, the two groups mixed to win 3 Super Bowls whilst going through each and every different in the playoffs on two other events. The first assembly happened in 2001, when Pittsburgh dethroned the protecting champions at Heinz Field, 27-10. The win used to be the 2nd of 5 consecutive victories in the sequence for the Steelers, who loved the higher hand in the rivalry till Steve McNair, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed led Baltimore to a season sweep of Pittsburgh in 2006. 

Both groups had been on close to equivalent footing in 2008, as the Steelers and Ravens boasted the league’s top-two defensive devices. While the Ravens had been an impressive foe, the Steelers, led by means of Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu and Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, had been just a bit bit higher in all 3 of their conferences in opposition to Baltimore that season. After rallying from at the back of to overcome the visiting Ravens in Week 4, a Roethlisberger touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes in the ultimate seconds gave Pittsburgh a 13-9 win over Baltimore in Week 15 that helped the Steelers clinch the AFC North identify. 

In one of the maximum bodily playoff video games in contemporary reminiscence, the Ravens gave the look to be on the verge of taking the lead overdue in the AFC Championship Game. Polamalu, then again, necessarily ended the recreation when he returned an interception off of Joe Flacco 40 yards for the game-clinching rating. The Steelers ended up defeating the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, whilst the Ravens must wait six extra years ahead of getting their first postseason win over Pittsburgh. 

2010s

Overall H2H document: Ravens 13-9
Playoff H2H document: Tied 1-1
Longest profitable streak: 4 (Ravens) 
Best recreation: Steelers 31, Ravens 27 (Dec. 25, 2016)

The Ravens-Steelers rivalry used to be just about as excellent in the 2010s because it used to be the earlier decade. Not handiest did the Ravens win their first ever decade in opposition to the Steelers (so far as win-loss document is worried), Baltimore additionally gained their first ever playoff recreation over Pittsburgh, as Joe Flacco led his squad to a 30-17 win over the Steelers in the 2014 wild-card spherical. 

Four years previous, the Steelers – very similar to what they did in 2008 – pulled off two incredible wins over their arch rival. Trailing the Ravens overdue in a Week 13 matchup in Baltimore, Troy Polamalu’s pressured fumble of Flacco arrange Ben Roethlisberger’s game-winning landing go that helped the Steelers win the department. Six weeks later, after falling at the back of the visiting Ravens 21-7 in the divisional spherical of the playoffs, Roethlisberger’s 58-yard final touch to Antonio Brown with simply over two mins left helped cap off Pittsburgh’s come-from-behind victory. 

While those video games had been classics, it is unimaginable to select in opposition to the 2016 Christmas Day showdown as the decade’s best recreation between the two franchises. In entrance of a countrywide TV target market, the Ravens constructed a 20-10 lead ahead of a couple of Le’Veon Bell touchdowns put Pittsburgh in entrance. After the Ravens regained the lead with 1:18 left, seven completions from Roethlisberger arrange his game-winning landing go to Brown with simply 4 seconds left. The catch, referred to in Pittsburgh as the “Immaculate Extension,” clinched the department identify for the Steelers whilst getting rid of Baltimore from postseason competition. 

2020s

Overall H2H document: Steelers 5-1 
Longest profitable streak: 4 (Steelers) 
Best recreation: Steelers 20, Ravens 19 (Dec. 5, 2021) 

The stability of energy in the rivalry has long gone again to Pittsburgh throughout the get started of the 2020s. The Steelers gained the critical’ first 4 matchups this decade ahead of Baltimore edged the Steelers in Pittsburgh of their first of two matchups closing season. The Steelers settled the rating when Kenny Pickett hit Najee Harris for the game-winning rating in Week 17. 

The decade’s best matchup between the groups happened again in Week 13 of the 2021. After consecutive losses, the Steelers stored their season alive by means of rallying from at the back of to defeat the Ravens, who suffered a 2nd instantly loss after an 8-3 begin to the season. Trailing 10-3 getting into the fourth quarter, Roethlisberger led 3 scoring drives that incorporated two that ended with landing passes to Diontae Johnson. 

Baltimore spoke back with Lamar Jackson’s landing go to Sammy Watkins’ with 12 seconds left. But as a substitute of tying the recreation and forcing time beyond regulation, the Ravens determined to move for the win on a two-point conversion check out. On the strive, Steelers outdoor linebacker T.J. Watt used to be ready to disrupt Jackson’s go strive for Mark Andrews, who used to be not able to tug down the errant throw. Watt led the Steelers’ defensive rate with 3.5 sacks, whilst Roethlisberger gained his fourth consecutive recreation over the Ravens courting to the 2018 season.