Steelers vs. Ravens score, live updates: AFC North rivals clash for the third time this season in wild-card matchup
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The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have been heading in different directions over the past month. The Ravens, champions of the AFC North, have been blowing teams out over the past four weeks. Their average margin of victory was 23 points per game over that span, with the closest of those four being a 34-17 win over Pittsburgh on Dec. 21, in which the Ravens took control of the division on their way to a wild-card round home game. Lamar Jackson turned in an historic regular season, becoming the first quarterback in league history to throw 40 or more touchdown passes with four or fewer interceptions and the first player to throw for 4,000 yards while rushing for 800 yards, all on his way to becoming the NFL’s all-time leading rusher at the quarterback position.
The Steelers, meanwhile, are limping into the playoffs, having lost four in a row — including double-digit losses to both the Chiefs and Eagles, in addition to the blowout loss in Baltimore — and scoring just 14.3 points per game in those losses. To say the Steelers’ pass offense is struggling might be an understatement. They haven’t topped 200 passing yards since Dec. 1 and have been under 165 passing yards in four of their last five games to finish the year.
The Steelers won the first matchup between these teams 18-16 back in Week 11 in Pittsburgh before the Ravens got their win in Week 16 in Baltimore.
How to watch Steelers vs. Ravens AFC wild-card game
Time: 8 p.m. ET Location: M&T Bank Stadium | Baltimore Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Live59 updates
ESPN Research: Derrick Henry has now tied Jim Brown for the most games with 150 rush yards and 2 rushing touchdowns in NFL history, regular season and postseason combined (13)
And there’s the Ravens’ response. Derrick Henry breaks free from 44 yards out and puts the Ravens up 28-7. The Steelers still need at least three stops to pull off a miracle, and that’s going to be hard with how the Ravens offense has been operating.
And now Alex Highsmith sacks Lamar Jackson on the Ravens’ first play of their next drive. Game suddenly has a pretty different feel.
Remember: The Ravens punted on 4th-and-1 at midfield on their last drive. The punt was good, but the Steelers found some momentum.
Kyle Hamilton looked frustrated with Brandon Stephens on the coverage. Russell Wilson infamously throws almost no intermediate passes, going either short or deep. But knowing what was coming, the Ravens still got beat deep a bunch on that drive.
TOUCHDOWN: Steelers get on the board via Van Jefferson
The Steelers have life. Russell Wilson makes his third great throw of the drive, this time to Van Jefferson in the end zone. Pittsburgh drives for a touchdown from their own 2-yard line and already has more yards in the second half than the first half.
Another big play for Pittsburgh, this time a great throw down the sideline to Mike Williams for a 37-yard gain. The Steelers will take their first snap in Baltimore territory.
The Steelers get their first big play of the game, as Russell Wilson gets it to Calvin Austin for a 25-yard gain on 3rd-and-9. Austin got crushed on the catch, though.
#Steelers DE Cam Heyward was evaluated for a possible head injury but has been cleared to return to tonight’s game.
The Steelers haven’t had the ball with a lead once in their last 6 playoff games. Their only lead in that time came on a fumble return TD by TJ Watt vs Chiefs in 2021 wild-card game and KC tied the game on the next possession.
Steelers starting LT Dan Moore Jr. sustained an ankle injury and is questionable to return, the team announced. He’s not on the field to start the second half.
