Honestly, if you don't have a bit of a stomach ache before a Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens kickoff, are you even a football fan? It’s not just a game. It’s basically a three-hour televised car crash where everyone somehow walks away wanting to do it again in six months.
We just saw another one for the history books on January 4, 2026. The stakes? Only the AFC North title and a trip to the playoffs. No big deal. The Steelers escaped with a 26-24 win, but "escaped" is the only word that fits. It came down to a rookie kicker, Tyler Loop, pushing a 44-yarder wide right as the clock hit zeroes. You could hear a pin drop in Baltimore, while Pittsburgh basically exploded.
The Weird Reality of the 2025-2026 Season
The 2025 season was a fever dream for both these teams. Think about the storylines. The Steelers are led by Aaron Rodgers now—yeah, that's still weird to type—and the Ravens were trying to complete a comeback from a 1-5 start.
Lamar Jackson had been dealing with back and hamstring issues, yet he showed up for the finale looking like the two-time MVP he is. He threw for three touchdowns, two of them to Zay Flowers, who is becoming a certified Steelers-killer. Flowers finished that game with 138 yards on just four catches. Efficiency like that usually wins you the game. Usually.
But then there's T.J. Watt. The man played with a partially collapsed lung. Let that sink in. He had surgery, missed three games, and came back just to haunt Baltimore. He even tipped a pass that led to a crucial interception. It’s that kind of "playing through the pain" stuff that defines the Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens culture.
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Why the Numbers Are Liars
If you look at the box score of their recent matchups, you’d think the Ravens were the better team. In that January title game, the Ravens out-rushed the Steelers 126 to 66. Derrick Henry was a monster early on. Baltimore had more explosive plays.
But Pittsburgh won. How?
They held the ball for 34 minutes. They converted 9-of-16 third downs. They played "Tomlin ball." Mike Tomlin now has 193 regular-season wins, tying him with the legendary Chuck Noll. He also has eight division titles. The guy just knows how to win these specific, ugly, muddy games.
The all-time series record now stands at 38-27 in favor of Pittsburgh. That includes a 3-2 edge in the postseason. People talk about the Ravens being the "modern" franchise with analytics and innovative offenses, but the Steelers have won nine of the last twelve meetings. That is a statistical anomaly that drives Ravens fans absolutely insane.
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The "Bounty" and the Bad Blood
You can’t talk about Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens without mentioning the hatred. It's mutual. It's respected. But it's real.
Remember Terrell Suggs? He once famously joked (or not) about a "bounty" on Hines Ward. Then you have Mike Tomlin "accidentally" stepping onto the field during a Jacoby Jones return years ago. These aren't just anecdotes; they are the fabric of a rivalry where the coaches genuinely dislike losing to each other more than anyone else on the schedule.
John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin have met 39 times. That’s the second-most between any two head coaches in NFL history. They’ve grown old together on opposite sidelines. They’ve seen the rosters change from Ray Lewis and Ben Roethlisberger to Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers.
What Actually Happened in the AFC North Title Game
It was 10-0 Ravens early. Pittsburgh looked dead. Then Chris Boswell—who is basically a cheat code at this point—nailed a 57-yarder.
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- The Comeback: Connor Heyward (yes, Cam's brother) scored on a "tush push" to tie it.
- The Flowers Show: Zay Flowers caught a 64-yard bomb to put Baltimore up 24-20 with only 2:20 left.
- The Rodgers Factor: With 55 seconds remaining, Aaron Rodgers found Calvin Austin III for a 26-yard score.
And then, the kicker. Tyler Loop. He replaced the legendary Justin Tucker earlier in the season. Talk about pressure. He missed the kick, and the Steelers took the crown.
Actionable Insights for the Next Matchup
If you're betting or just trying to sound smart at the bar for the next Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens clash, keep these three things in mind:
- Ignore the Spread: These games are almost always decided by one score. Since 2008, 26 of their 32 meetings were decided by 8 points or less. If the spread is more than 3, take the underdog.
- Watch the "Between the Tackles" Run Rate: Both teams run the ball up the gut at the highest rates in the NFL (over 56%). The team that wins the physical battle at the line of scrimmage usually controls the clock and the game.
- The Turnover Margin is Everything: Pittsburgh currently sits at a +11 turnover differential compared to Baltimore’s -2. In a rivalry this tight, one tipped pass from T.J. Watt is literally the difference between a home playoff game and going home for the summer.
The rivalry moves into 2026 with the Steelers as the defending division champs, but don't expect Baltimore to go quiet. With Lamar Jackson healthy and a chip on his shoulder after that missed field goal, the next chapter is going to be just as violent and beautiful as the last sixty-five.
Go watch the highlights of the Calvin Austin touchdown again. Pay attention to how the Ravens' secondary lost him. That's the nuance—even in a "tough guy" rivalry, one mental lapse by a cornerback like Chidobe Awuzie is all it takes to ruin a season.
Check the 2026 schedule as soon as it drops. Circle both dates. Take the Monday off. Your heart will thank you.