Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before: The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are going to play in an important football game. Indeed, Saturday’s playoff showdown between the sixth-seeded Steelers and the third-seeded Ravens marks the fifth-ever postseason tilt between the two rival franchises.
The Steelers have won all but one of these
The “black and gold” hold a 3-1 all-time playoff record over the “purple and black:”
- 27-10 in the 2001 AFC Divisional Round (Steelers)
- 23-14 in the 2008 AFC Championship Game (Steelers)
- 31-24 in the 2010 AFC Divisional Round (Steelers)
- 30-17 in the 2014 AFC Wild Card Round (Ravens)
The Steelers have won more, overall
Since the Ravens’ inception in 1996, Pittsburgh holds a 36-26 overall record against Baltimore, counting both regular season and postseason. The first time the squads ever played was Sept. 8, 1996. That game ended 31-17 in favor of Pittsburgh, at then-home Three Rivers Stadium. Bill Cowher was the Steelers’ head coach; Ted Marchibroda coached Baltimore.
Fun fact!
The Steelers last played a playoff game in Baltimore in 1976, a 40-14 Divisional Round walloping of the then-Baltimore Colts on Dec. 19, 1976. The Steelers were led by Chuck Noll; Ted Marchibroda coached Baltimore.
Not-so-fun fact
It’s been since the 2016 season that the Steelers won a playoff game — the eight years in between marking the franchise’s longest postseason win drought in the Super Bowl era. That win came over the Kansas City Chiefs, 18-16, on Jan. 15, 2017.
Steelers insider Jim Wexell of 247sports.com said damage control will be the next game the team has to play if their performance on Saturday doesn’t qualify them for another game of the postseason variety.
“It’s going to cause [owner] Art Rooney II to sit down and really find a way to appease the angry mob,” Wexell said. “[A change at] offensive line coach is a possibility. These young guys have to do better.
“We’ll see what the head coach thinks of Pat Meyer’s performance with these young guys, or whether he thinks the young guys still need another seasoning under Meyer.”
Still, Wexell said he doesn’t think another year of no postseason success will cause head coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, or defensive coordinator Teryl Austin their jobs.
“That’s not what the Steelers do,” he said.
Health favors Steelers — slightly
Despite the Steelers’ listing three players as out of the game, and two as questionable, the most notable name comes from the Ravens’ injury list.
Wide receiver Zay Flowers, the first Ravens receiver ever to be voted to a Pro Bowl, will not play in the game after injuring his knee against the Cleveland Browns last week.
“If Flowers is out, there’s really one threat at wide receiver: [Rashod] Bateman. And I don’t think he’s that much of a threat without Flowers,” Wexell said.
“I think [the Steelers’ defense] can then focus on the run game more heartily.”
The injury reports:
- Steelers
- G Mason McCormick – questionable
- T Calvin Anderson – questionable
- WR Roman Wilson – out
- LB Cole Holcomb – out
- DL Logan Lee – out
- Ravens
- WR Zay Flowers – out
- WR Deontay Hardy – questionable
How to watch:
The game will be broadcast nationally on Amazon Prime Video. In the Pittsburgh market, NBC affiliate WPXI will air the game. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. from M&T Bank Stadium.
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