You know how it goes with these two. It’s never just a game. When you sit down to watch a Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens play by play, you aren't just looking for stats or yardage markers. You're looking for the inevitable car crash of two physical franchises that genuinely, deeply, dislike each other. Honestly, the 2025 season finale on January 4, 2026, was no different. It was a 26-24 dogfight that basically decided the fate of the AFC North, and it ended in the most Ravens-Steelers way possible: with a missed field goal and a lot of heartbreak in the rain.
People talk about rivalries in the NFL, but this is the only one that feels like it belongs in a different century. It’s muddy. It’s loud. It’s painful to watch if you're a fan of clean, offensive football.
The Night the AFC North Title Flipped
The stakes couldn't have been higher at Acrisure Stadium. For the Ravens, it was simple but brutal: win and you’re in. Lose, and for the first time since 2021, you’re watching the playoffs from the couch. The Steelers, led by Aaron Rodgers in one of his most "vintage" performances since moving to Pittsburgh, needed to protect their home turf to clinch the division.
If you followed the Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens play by play as it happened, the first half felt like a Baltimore coronation. Lamar Jackson looked untouchable early on. He found Devontez Walker for a 38-yard strike in the first quarter that silenced the Terrible Towels. Then, rookie kicker Tyler Loop—remember that name, because it becomes important later—nailed a 40-yarder to make it 10-0.
Pittsburgh looked stuck. They were trailing at halftime, and the offense was sputtering. But Mike Tomlin’s teams have this weird habit of hanging around. They don’t go away; they just wait for you to mess up.
Turning the Tide in the Second Half
The third quarter is where the wheels started to wobble for Baltimore. It started with a 57-yard bomb of a field goal from Chris Boswell. Say what you want about kickers, but Boswell is basically a cheat code in these divisional games.
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- The Equalizer: Connor Heyward punched in a 1-yard run at the 8:23 mark of the third. Suddenly, it was 10-10.
- The Lead Change: Boswell struck again from 25 yards out. 13-10 Steelers.
- The Response: Lamar Jackson, being Lamar Jackson, shrugged off two defenders on a 3rd-and-long and zipped a 50-yard TD to Zay Flowers.
The fourth quarter was just pure chaos. It’s the kind of football that makes you want to check your blood pressure. Kenneth Gainwell scored for Pittsburgh, then Flowers scored again for Baltimore on a massive 64-yard catch. With 2:20 left, the Ravens led 24-20.
The Play That Broke Baltimore
Most people think the game ended with the missed field goal. It didn't. The real dagger happened with 55 seconds left on the clock. Aaron Rodgers, who had been mostly a game manager for three quarters, found Calvin Austin III on a stutter-and-go route. Austin absolutely scorched Chidobe Awuzie, who slipped at the worst possible moment.
That 26-yard touchdown catch put the Steelers up 26-24.
Now, Lamar Jackson had 55 seconds to save the season. He did his part. He moved the ball. He got them to the 26-yard line. The script was written for Tyler Loop, the sixth-round rookie, to become a legend. Instead, he pushed a 44-yard attempt wide right as time expired.
Steelers win. Ravens season over. Just like that.
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Why This Rivalry Still Matters
It’s easy to look at the box score and see a close game, but the Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens play by play tells a deeper story of how these teams are built.
First, let's talk about the defense. Even in a 26-point game, the hitting was legal but borderline terrifying. Alex Highsmith was a menace all night, recording a sack and a forced fumble. On the other side, Odafe Oweh and the Ravens' front forced Rodgers to get rid of the ball faster than he wanted to.
There's also the weird "Baltimore beats Baltimore" narrative that fans keep bringing up. If you look at the penalties—9 for 78 yards for the Ravens compared to just 5 for Pittsburgh—it’s hard to argue. A holding penalty on Tyler Linderbaum earlier in the game wiped out a 20-yard Jackson run. Those are the margins that kill you in January.
Recent History and The 2024 Context
This wasn't an isolated incident. If we look back at the 2024 season, the Steelers have had the Ravens' number.
- Week 11, 2024: Pittsburgh won 18-16. No touchdowns. Just six Chris Boswell field goals.
- AFC Wild Card, Jan 2025: The Ravens actually took this one 28-14, thanks to a monster 186-yard performance by Derrick Henry.
- December 7, 2025: Pittsburgh held on for a 27-22 win after a late Baltimore TD was overturned on review.
The Steelers have now won seven of the last eight regular-season meetings. That is a staggering statistic for a rivalry that is supposed to be "even." Mike Tomlin seems to have found a way to neutralize Lamar Jackson’s explosive playmaking by forcing him to be a pocket passer for 60 minutes.
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Key Stats from the January 4th Showdown
- Total Yards: Steelers 390, Ravens 359.
- Time of Possession: Pittsburgh owned the clock for 34:11. That's how you beat Lamar; you keep him on the sideline.
- Derrick Henry: 20 carries for 126 yards. He was dominant in the first half but "fizzled out" as the Steelers' interior line, led by Cam Heyward, shut down the gaps late.
- The QB Duel: Rodgers finished with 294 yards and 1 TD. Jackson had 238 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 costly interception.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
There’s this idea that the Ravens are the "better" team and the Steelers just get "lucky." That’s a lazy take. Honestly, when you look at the Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens play by play over the last three years, Pittsburgh is simply more disciplined in the "dirty" phases of the game. They win the turnover battle (plus-1 in this game), they commit fewer penalties, and they have a kicker who doesn't miss.
Baltimore has the higher ceiling. When they are on, they can put up 40 points on anyone. But when the game gets "thick," as Mike Tomlin likes to say, the Steelers seem to thrive in the discomfort.
What's Next for Both Teams?
The Ravens enter an offseason of soul-searching. They have the MVP-level talent in Jackson and the legendary power of Henry, but they can't seem to close out the Steelers when the division is on the line. Expect them to look for secondary help—Awuzie’s slip in the final minute will haunt their film sessions for months.
For Pittsburgh, it’s a playoff run. They’ve proven that even with an aging Rodgers, their formula of "defense + Boswell + situational big plays" is enough to win the toughest division in football.
If you're looking to track future matchups, keep an eye on the injury reports for the defensive fronts. This rivalry is won in the trenches, and as we saw in the season finale, one slip or one missed block is the difference between a division title and an early vacation.
To stay ahead of the next showdown, watch the AFC North standings closely. The Steelers currently lead the all-time series 38-27, and they’ve shown no signs of letting up. If you're betting on these games, always take the under and expect it to come down to the final two minutes. That's just Ravens-Steelers football. It’s ugly, it’s stressful, and it’s the best thing in the NFL.