It's the Steelers, it's the Ravens; the biggest rivalry in the NFL
over the past decade plus will be renewed this Sunday when the Steelers travel
to Baltimore as both teams will be battling for the lead in the AFC North
division. Tell me where you've heard this before? Unlike the
Bengals and Browns rivalries with the Steelers, the Ravens have won important
games against the Steelers in recent memory. So, the competitiveness in
this rivalry seems to allow for the fan bases and players/coaches of both sides
to hate the other, yet allow for a sign of respect for the ability and
similarities in style of play between the two teams.
Today, in my first
"article" I wanted to take a look at this rivalry from the Steelers perspective.
We'll look at what I consider to be the top 5 wins the Steelers have had
over the Ravens, since the rivalry really exploded around the mid-2000s, say
2007. Of course, this is my opinion, so if you disagree or think
differently, let me know why. Email me at
strongerthansteelpodcast@gmail.com. Let's get started.
Honorable Mention- 2012, Week 13, 23-20:
A week prior to this game,
Charlie Batch (starting for an injured Ben Roethlisberger) and the Steelers
offense put up a dismal performance in a 20-14 loss in Cleveland with 8
turnovers, 3 from Batch. He had looked bad and there were a ton of
questions if he was even able to competently play anymore. In this game
Batch (25/36, 276 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) out-dueled eventual Super Bowl MVP Joe
Flacco (16/34, 188 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and led the Steelers on a late game
winning drive in the 4th quarter. Batch and Roethlisberger's embrace
after Shaun Suisham's game winning kick as time expired was an iconic moment in
the rivalry. Nobody gave Batch and the Steelers a chance that day and in
the darkest of times, Batch stood tall and played the best game he could have
played in what was his final NFL start. That is how I will always
remember him and I couldn't think of a guy who deserved that win more than him.
5. 2010 Week 13: 13-10
A classic late season
prime-time game that would decide the AFC North. The Ravens had won the
first meeting that season in Pittsburgh 17-14 over the Charlie Batch led
Steelers. This game was a defensive slug-fest that saw its usual
complement of big hits. None were more memorable than early in the first
quarter when Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata broke through the line and
sacked Ben Roethlisberger. On the play Ngata's hand hit Roethlisberger's
face and broke his nose. Roethlisberger managed to stay in the game.
But, the Ravens jumped out to a 7-0 lead, thanks to a long TD drive that
was keyed by 2 big catches by Anquan Boldin. The Ravens stayed ahead
throughout the game and were up 10-6 late in the 4th quarter, before the
Steelers got the big break they were looking for. Troy Polamalu came
unblocked off the left end of the line and stripped Joe Flacco and LaMarr
Woodley recovered the fumble and put the Steelers on the Ravens 10-yard line.
On the next play Ben Roethlisberger miraculously escaped what should have
been a sack by Terrell Suggs and managed to flip the ball out of bounds, however, the
Steelers still ended up facing a 3rd and goal from the 10.
Roethlisberger's quick pass to Issac Redman on the play was short of the
end zone but thanks to a couple of broken tackles he crossed the field and fell
into the end zone the Steelers went in front 13-10. Another emotional win
for the black and gold.
4. 2008 Week 15: 13-9
Maybe a forgotten classic game,
with 3 weeks remaining in the NFL season the Steelers were in position to
clinch the AFC North, but the Ravens had a chance to pull even with the
Steelers with a win in Baltimore. Entering this game, both teams had the
1st or 2nd ranked defense in practically every statistical category. And
through 55 minutes of the game, only 15 total points had been scored. The
Ravens held a 9-6 lead with 4 minutes remaining and the Steelers were backed up
on their own 8-yard line and had to drive the length of the field against the
league's best defense at home to tie or win the game. Several
contributions from Hines Ward and Nate Washington put the Steelers in position
to score, then on a 3rd and goal Roethlisberger found Santonio Holmes in the
end zone with the ball brought back just over the goal line and what had been
originally been called a catch that down at the 1, the call was overturned and
the Steelers took a 13-9 lead with 50 seconds remaining. The Ravens
moved down the field but with only a few seconds remaining William Gay
intercepted Flacco in the end zone and the Steelers won the game and the AFC
North off the strength of 10 4th quarter points. The win acted as a
spring board for the Steelers who made a charge to the Super Bowl. But it
may not have happened had it not been for the efforts from the likes of
Roethlisberger, Holmes, Washington, Ward, the offensive line and of course the
rest of the defense. It was an instant classic that I feel isn't
recognized enough.
3. 2016 Week 16: 31-27
The most recent iteration of
this rivalry, the Ravens had won 4 straight games in the rivalry heading into
this game. The Steelers could clinch with a win but a Baltimore win would
put them in first place with 1 game left. After a quick opening drive touchdown,
the Steelers offense was quiet through the first 3 quarters and 2 costly
interceptions by Ben Roethlisberger in the 3rd quarter turned a 7-6 halftime
lead, into a 20-10 deficit. Then the offense finally found its footing,
Le'Veon Bell found some room on the ground and Ben Roethlisberger got Antonio
Brown into the game. A quick touchdown drive, capped off by a Bell
scoring run cut the lead to 20-17. On the Steelers next drive, they took
the lead, as Le'Veon Bell piled into the end zone after a dump off from
Roethlisberger and it appeared that the Steelers had gone ahead for good.
But the Ravens went on an improbable 14 play drive that included three
separate third down conversions. The drive took up 5:58 on the clock and
it resulted in a 27-24 lead for the Ravens. But the red-hot Steelers
offense took the field 75 yards away from the end zone with two-time outs and
quickly drove the length of the field. In five plays the Steelers moved
51 yards before a diving 20-yard catch by Eli Rogers put the Steelers at the
Ravens 19. Four plays later there were 13 seconds remaining after a Roethlisberger
spike. Then the Steelers went for the end zone. Roethlisberger hit
Brown just short of the goal line on a slant pass and he was met by two Ravens
just in front of the goal line. But knowing the situation (the Steelers
had no time outs and likely would be unable to run another play), Brown had
gone low first to establish lower body position before reaching up (while his
face mask was held, see picture) and extending his arm over the goal line and
the Steelers went in front again with 9 seconds to go. The building
exploded and the Steelers pulled off another incredible comeback. Any
hope of a Ravens go ahead touchdown ended with a Ryan Shazier interception as
time expired and the Steelers won the AFC North again.
This is a personal favorite of
mine, as it was the first Steelers game I had ever been to in Pittsburgh and
the first Steelers game I had ever been to with my mother (the person who had
the biggest impact on why I became a Steelers fan. So, this game will
always hold a special place in my heart.
2. 2011 AFC Divisional: 31-24
Talk about a tale of two
halves, this game was the highest scoring defensive battle I have ever seen.
Both teams combined for just 389 yards, the Ravens were held to a
shockingly low total of just 126 yards. The Steelers got off to a quick
start and a 7-0 lead thanks to a 10 play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by
a Rashard Mendenhall touchdown. But that was the only highlight for the
Steelers offense in the first half. The Ravens answered with a long
touchdown drive of their own on the next drive and on the next Steelers drive
Terrell Suggs sacked Ben Roethlisberger and the ball came out, but the play had
not been whistled dead. There were only three players on the whole field
who noticed, including Cory Redding who picked up the loose ball and he raced
into the end zone giving the Ravens a 14-7 lead. Things only got worse
for the Steelers two drives later as a fumble by Rashard Mendenhall deep in
Steelers territory gave the Ravens the ball back and worse yet the Steelers
were out of challenges and the Ravens capitalized once again with a four-yard
touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Todd Heap. The Steelers woeful half
ended with another punch to the gut, as Shaun Suisham missed a 43-yard field
goal with time in the half expiring. The outlook was bleak, but the
Steelers were given a chance five minutes into the second half. Ray Rice
took a dump off pass and on an innocent looking play Ryan Clark forced a fumble
(rare at the time, it was Rice's first fumble in over 400 touches) and the
Steelers recovered. The Steelers had a new life, Mendenhall went for 14
yards on the next play and set up a nine-yard touchdown pass to Heath Miller
and the Steelers were back in the game. The crowd at Heinz Field went
wild and then the Steelers got another break. With just under 4 minutes
remaining in the third quarter, Joe Flacco badly overthrew Todd Heap and Clark was
there for the interception in Ravens territory. Four plays later
Roethlisberger found Hines Ward in the end zone and the Steelers overcame their
14-point deficit to tie the game at 21. Both teams traded field goals in
the fourth quarter, the Steelers had the ball, but faced a third and 19 with
2:07 remaining. The Steelers decided to go for it all and somehow,
Roethlisberger's rainbow pass was caught by a rookie sixth round pick from
Central Michigan. That rookie's name? Antonio Brown. Brown somehow
got behind Ravens defensive back Ladarius Webb and made a great catch on the
run, the ball had gone through his hands and he had to pin the ball against his
helmet as he ran out of bounds. On third and goal from the two, Rashard
Mendenhall was stopped at the line before changing direction and piling into
the end zone to give the Steelers the go-ahead score. The Steelers
defense then forced the Ravens into a fourth and 18 situation with the game on
the line and a dropped pass by TJ Houshmandzadeh (who had caught the game
winning score at Heinz Field in week 4 earlier that season), gave the Steelers
the ball and ultimately the win. The Steelers won their 3rd playoff game
in as many tries against the Ravens and it was one of the best games of the
year.
1. 2009 AFC Championship: 23-14
Unquestionably the biggest game
in the rivalry's history. A trip to the Super Bowl on the line and both
teams had the two best defenses in the league, led by two of the best
linebackers and safeties in the league (Ray Lewis/Ed Reed and James
Harrison/Troy Polamalu respectively). Everyone knew this game was going
to be a defensive battle. But I don't think anyone expected the game to
be as physical as it was. There is a strong argument to be made that this
was not only the hardest hitting game of that year, but maybe the most physical
game ever. The Steelers drove 50 yards on seven plays and they took an
early 3-0 lead on a kick from Jeff Reed. Hines Ward had the key 45-yard
reception on that drive. Later in the quarter, after a Deshea Townsend
interception of Joe Flacco, Santonio Holmes appeared to catch a 23-yard
touchdown, but it was later challenged and overturned. As Holmes reached
for the end zone he was tripped up and he bobbled the ball as he crossed the
goal line. By rule, Holmes didn't complete the catch and the call of the
catch was overturned. Luckily for the Steelers Ward had another catch on
a third down for 11 yards. Unfortunately, Ward was injured on the play
and missed all but a few plays of the rest of the game. The third down
catch led to another field goal and the Steelers went ahead 6-0. But
everyone knew that the Steelers would likely not be able to sit on the slim
lead. At the start of the second quarter the Steelers got the big play on
offense they were looking for. Ben Roethlisberger escaped pressure and
was forced to throw off his back foot, Santonio Holmes re adjusted to the ball
in the air and made a clean catch. Immediately, Holmes made an
unconventional decision to run back to the middle of the field (generally in
the open field, runners are taught to run to the outside where the defenders
usually have less ground covered). But Holmes saw that he had a lane on
the other side and ran with a convoy including Heath Miller and Nate Washington
who helped to lead Holmes to the end zone. Holmes dove past Ed Reed and
the Steelers went in front 13-0. Late in the first half the Ravens got
the big break they needed. Jim Leonhard took a punt back 45 yards to the
Steelers 20-yard line. Then Joe Flacco threw a pass deep to Derrick Mason
that drew a pass interference penalty on the Steelers three-yard line and
Willis McGahee ran it in on the next play to get the Ravens on the board and
the Steelers lead was cut to 13-7. Late in the third quarter the Steelers
added another field goal by Reed to make it 16-7. Early in the fourth
quarter a short 21-yard punt gave the Ravens good field position at their own
42 and another pass interference penalty gave the Ravens the ball at the
Steelers 1-yard line and McGahee scored another touchdown to make it 16-14 with
just nine minutes to go. Even though the Steelers had the lead, the
Ravens had all the momentum, especially after the Steelers went three and out
on their next possession. With the Ravens in position to take the lead,
the Steelers came up with the biggest play of the season to that point.
After a sack by LaMarr Woodley on second down, James Harrison broke
through the line and forced an errant throw by the rookie Flacco. Darting
across the field was Troy Polamalu, who leaped and intercepted Flacco.
Polamalu then reversed his field and with several key blocks, ran 40
yards and reached the end zone. The place went crazy and the Steelers
went up 23-14 with just over four minutes to go. The celebration started,
but the game was not quite over. A thunderous hit by Ryan Clark on
McGahee on the next halted the fast-paced game and both players were knocked
out of the game. Both players ended up being okay and after the hit
McGahee fumbled and the Steelers took over again, effectively ending any chance
the Ravens had of a comeback. On the Ravens next and final drive Tyrone
Carter (who came in for Clark) intercepted a deflected pass and one of the most
emotional and physical games ever played was over. Although the Steelers
won by nine points, it was clear to everyone who played and saw the game, that
it was close to the very last play and it was easily the best game of the
Steelers-Ravens era. This game will long be remembered as the example of
what makes this rivalry so great. And how great is it that the Steelers
came on top of this one?
That concludes my top five
list, let me know what you think, tweet at us or email us at strongerthansteelpodcast@gmail.com.
