If you were looking for a blowout, you came to the wrong place. But if you wanted a game where grown men treat a leather ball like it's the last piece of oxygen on Mars, the pittsburgh steelers baltimore ravens score on January 4, 2026, delivered exactly what you needed.
Steelers 26, Ravens 24.
That’s the number. It’s a final score that will be etched into the minds of everyone in the 412 and 410 area codes for a long time. It wasn't just a regular-season finale; it was a winner-take-all cage match for the AFC North crown. Basically, the kind of game that makes you want to check your blood pressure every ten minutes.
The atmosphere at Acrisure Stadium was electric, bordering on feral. You had Aaron Rodgers—yes, he’s still slinging it—facing off against Lamar Jackson. Two former MVPs. Two different styles. One muddy, cold, glorious evening in Pittsburgh.
What Really Happened With the Pittsburgh Steelers Baltimore Ravens Score
Honestly, the first half felt like a heavyweight bout where neither guy wanted to throw a haymaker. Baltimore jumped out to a 10-0 lead, and for a second, it looked like the Ravens might actually run away with it. Derrick Henry was doing Derrick Henry things early, including a 47-yard burst that reminded everyone why he's still a nightmare for linebackers.
But then the Steelers’ defense did what they always do. They tightened up.
TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith started getting into the backfield. The momentum shifted. Chris Boswell, who is basically a robot with a gold toe, hammered home a 57-yarder to get Pittsburgh on the board. By the time the third quarter rolled around, the score was knotted at 10-10.
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Then things got weird.
Steelers fans are used to heart-stopping finishes, but the fourth quarter was something else. Lamar Jackson, who had been relatively quiet, suddenly exploded. He escaped two sacks on a third-down play that looked like a sure loss and launched a 50-yard bomb to Zay Flowers. Touchdown. 17-13 Ravens.
Pittsburgh answered. They marched down, and Kenneth Gainwell punched it in. 20-17 Steelers.
The lead changed hands again when Jackson found Flowers for another long score—this one 64 yards—with just 2:20 left on the clock. At 24-20, it felt like the Ravens had finally put a dagger in the Steelers' season.
The Final Minute No One Expected
Twenty-four to twenty. That was the pittsburgh steelers baltimore ravens score when Aaron Rodgers took the field with two minutes left and the season on the line.
He looked old for most of the night. He looked tired. Then, suddenly, he looked like a Hall of Famer again.
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Rodgers moved the chains with precision, and with 55 seconds left, he found Calvin Austin III on a 26-yard stutter-and-go. Austin was wide open because the Ravens' secondary had a collective brain fart at the worst possible moment.
Steelers 26, Ravens 24.
But wait. There's always a "but" in this rivalry. Chris Boswell missed the extra point. It was blocked, actually. So instead of a three-point lead, the Steelers were only up by two.
Baltimore had 55 seconds and a kicker named Tyler Loop. Loop, a rookie, had been solid all year. Lamar Jackson did his thing, converting a 4th-and-7 to get them into field goal range. With no time left, Loop stepped up for a 44-yarder to win the division and end the Steelers' season.
He pushed it wide right.
The stadium erupted. The final pittsburgh steelers baltimore ravens score stayed at 26-24. Mike Tomlin walked off the field with his eighth division title, matching the legendary Chuck Noll for the most regular-season wins in franchise history (193).
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Breaking Down the Key Performers
If you look at the box score, the numbers don't tell the whole story, but they're still kinda wild.
- Aaron Rodgers: 23-for-34, 294 yards, 1 TD. He didn't have DK Metcalf (who was suspended), so he relied on a bunch of role players.
- Lamar Jackson: 11-for-18, 238 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT. He only had 82 yards through three quarters. He literally did all his damage in the final 10 minutes.
- Zay Flowers: 138 yards and two massive touchdowns. He was the only reason Baltimore was in it at the end.
- Derrick Henry: 126 yards on 20 carries. He started hot but the Steelers’ "bend but don't break" defense eventually slowed the bleeding.
It's sorta funny—Baltimore outgained Pittsburgh in several categories, but three big mistakes cost them. A kickoff out of bounds, a holding penalty that wiped out a big Lamar run, and that missed field goal at the buzzer.
Why This Specific Rivalry Still Matters
People talk about the "best rivalries" in sports all the time. Yankees-Red Sox. Duke-UNC. But there’s something different about Steelers-Ravens. It’s not just about the pittsburgh steelers baltimore ravens score; it’s about the fact that these teams genuinely seem to dislike each other in a way that feels 1970s-authentic.
Even the coaches. Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have faced each other 40 times now. Forty! That’s insane. Most coaches don’t last 40 games, let alone 40 games against the same guy.
This game was the 65th meeting all-time. The Steelers lead the series 38-27, but let’s be real, it feels closer than that. Most of these games end with someone bleeding, someone crying, and a score that’s within three points.
Actionable Insights for Fans Following the Aftermath
If you're tracking the fallout of this game, here is what you need to keep an eye on:
- Playoff Seeding: With this win, Pittsburgh is the AFC North Champ and will host the Houston Texans. If you’re a betting person, keep an eye on the injury report for DK Metcalf—he’s coming back from suspension and will be a huge factor.
- Baltimore’s Future: The Ravens finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Expect some major questions about their secondary depth and whether Tyler Loop remains the guy at kicker.
- The "Rodgers" Effect: This win likely cements Aaron Rodgers' return for another season in Pittsburgh. He proved he can still win the "ugly" games, which is the only way games are played in the AFC North.
- Stat Hunting: If you're looking for historical trends, the Steelers have won 7 of the last 10 against Baltimore. This isn't just a fluke; Tomlin seems to have Harbaugh's number lately.
The pittsburgh steelers baltimore ravens score isn't just a number on a screen. It's a testament to a specific brand of football that doesn't exist anywhere else in the NFL anymore. It's gritty, it's loud, and it's usually decided by a kicker's foot or a quarterback's last-minute prayer.
For more updates on the AFC North playoff picture or detailed breakdowns of the upcoming Steelers-Texans game, keep your notifications on. The road to the Super Bowl just got a lot more interesting in the Steel City.