If you want to understand the AFC North, don't look at a spreadsheet. Look at the mud, the missed catches, and the absolute chaos of steelers vs ravens 2023.
Honestly, it shouldn't have made sense. On one side, you had a Baltimore Ravens team that looked like a freight train for most of the season, eventually locking up the AFC’s top seed. On the other, a Pittsburgh Steelers squad that spent half the year in an offensive identity crisis, swapping quarterbacks like they were trying on shoes that didn't fit.
Yet, when these two hit the grass, the records usually go out the window.
The 2023 season series was a weird, beautiful mess of defensive masterclasses and "how did they drop that?" moments. If you’re a Ravens fan, it was a nightmare of missed opportunities. If you bleed Black and Gold, it was another year of Mike Tomlin somehow finding a way to win games he had no business winning.
The Week 5 Meltdown: How Baltimore Gave It Away
The first meeting on October 8, 2023, was basically a case study in "beating yourself." The Ravens walked into Acrisure Stadium and dominated the first half. They were up 10-0. Lamar Jackson was moving the ball. Everything looked fine.
Then the drops started.
It wasn't just one guy. Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, and Zay Flowers all had "bread in their baskets" and just... let them go. Bateman’s drop in the end zone was particularly painful. You could feel the energy in the stadium shift from "we're in trouble" to "wait, we're still in this."
Pittsburgh’s defense, as it always does, smelled blood.
Miles Killebrew blocked a punt for a safety in the fourth quarter. That was the spark. Suddenly, the Steelers' offense—which had been stagnant for three quarters—found life. Kenny Pickett, who had been struggling with a knee injury, delivered the play of his young career. He saw George Pickens in one-on-one coverage against Marlon Humphrey and just let it rip.
A 41-yard touchdown later, and the Steelers had a lead they wouldn't give back.
Lamar Jackson finished that game 22-of-38 for 236 yards, but the zero touchdowns and a late interception in the end zone told the real story. The final was 17-10. Pittsburgh won despite being outgained for most of the afternoon. It was classic steelers vs ravens 2023—physical, ugly, and decided by who blinked last.
Lamar Jackson and the Pittsburgh Kryptonite
There is a weird stat that keeps coming up when we talk about this rivalry. Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP. He destroys almost everyone he plays. But for some reason, the Steelers have his number.
Coming into the 2023 matchups, Jackson’s career numbers against Pittsburgh were... not great. We're talking about a passer rating in the 60s. Why?
- The T.J. Watt Factor: Watt and Alex Highsmith play a specific brand of disciplined edge contain that forces Lamar to be a pocket passer.
- The "Shadow" Defense: Pittsburgh often uses a spy, but they also disguise their coverages in a way that makes Jackson hold the ball a split-second longer than he wants to.
- The Psychological Edge: After a while, the "Steelers hex" starts to feel real. Every missed throw or dropped pass feels magnified in this specific matchup.
In that October game, Jackson was sacked four times and lost a fumble. Even when he plays well, the margin for error against a Mike Tomlin-led defense is razor-thin.
The Week 18 Finale: Rain, Mud, and Mason Rudolph
By the time the rematch rolled around on January 6, 2024, the stakes were lopsided. The Ravens had already clinched the #1 seed and the AFC North title. They decided to rest Lamar Jackson and several other starters.
The Steelers? They were fighting for their playoff lives.
The weather in Baltimore was miserable. Cold rain. Slick turf. It was the kind of game where you expect the ball to look like a bar of soap. Mason Rudolph, who had taken over for an injured and struggling Pickett, was under center for Pittsburgh.
Surprisingly, Rudolph was efficient. He went 18-of-20. That's a 90% completion rate in a monsoon.
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The game was tied 7-7 going into the fourth quarter. It felt like another 13-10 slog until Rudolph found Diontae Johnson for a 71-yard touchdown on the first play of the final frame. Johnson caught a slant, hit the jets, and the Ravens' backup secondary couldn't catch him.
Najee Harris was the workhorse, grinding out 112 yards on 26 carries. He basically put the team on his back in the second half to ensure the 17-10 victory.
What We Learned from steelers vs ravens 2023
Looking back, these two games defined the grit of the AFC North. The Steelers swept the season series, which is wild considering the Ravens were widely considered the better team. It’s a reminder that in divisional play, talent is only half the battle.
- Defense wins this specific rivalry. Pittsburgh’s ability to force turnovers (they had three in the first game) is why they won.
- Coaching matters. John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin are two of the best, but Tomlin’s "stay in the fight" mentality seems tailor-made for these low-scoring grinds.
- The backup QB era. This season proved that you need more than just a superstar starter. Tyler Huntley and Mason Rudolph played significant roles in how this rivalry shook out in 2023.
If you’re looking to apply the lessons from steelers vs ravens 2023 to future matchups, start by ignoring the "points per game" stats. Look at the turnover margin and the health of the offensive lines. These games aren't won in the air; they're won in the trenches and on the sidelines during the fourth quarter.
The 2023 chapter is closed, but the blueprint remains the same: expect the unexpected, and don't ever bet against the underdog when these two meet.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Monitor Turnover Differentials: In both 2023 games, the team with fewer turnovers won. This is the single biggest predictor of success in this rivalry.
- Watch the Injury Report for Edge Rushers: If T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith are out, the Ravens' offense opens up significantly. If they are in, Lamar Jackson is forced into a much more constricted style of play.
- Bet the Under: History shows that these teams almost always play to a lower score than Vegas expects because the defenses know the opposing schemes so well.