Tough, physical, and intense are the three words that can best describe the rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Since the Ravens' inception in 1996, they have played at least twice a year, often for divisional supremacy. The Steelers currently have the lead on their head-to-head matchups, winning 28-24 in a span of 52 games.
Despite being a modern-day rivalry, this matchup never fails to end on a nail-biting thriller. In fact, according to ESPN Stats and Information, the average margin of victory between the Ravens and Steelers since 2008 is only 7.2 points, the smallest of any of the other 49 existing rivalries.
Here are their top moments in the history of the Steelers and Ravens rivalry:
4. Flacco Finds Smith
During Week 9 of the 2011 season, the two teams met on the Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Neither of the teams was able to gain a comfortable lead and was a tightly contested game all throughout. With 14 seconds left on the clock and the Steelers up 20-16, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco launched a cannon.
He threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith in the end zone with just eight seconds remaining. The winning touchdown delivered the win for the Ravens and a season sweep against the Steelers.
3. Game decided by inches
In 2008, it was yet another classic battle between the league's top two defenses at the time. The Steelers were trailing the Ravens for the majority of the low-scoring game. With 50 seconds left on the game clock, the Steelers found themselves on a 6-9 hole. At the 10-yard line, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took his time to find a perfect target.
Wide receiver Santonio Holmes was found lurking on the end zone as he received a pass from Big Ben. He needed to do a toe-drag catch in order to secure the touchdown as his body moved out of the plane after catching the ball. The margin was so slim that the Ravens actually thought they held the Steelers out of the end zone. Referee Walt Coleman overruled the original decision and signaled a touchdown after a replay review.
2. Immaculate Extension
On Christmas Day at the Heinz Field, the 9-5 Steelers found themselves in a back-and-forth game with the 8-6 Ravens. With fourteen seconds remaining, the score was 27-24 in favor of the Ravens.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger snapped the ball and located wide-receiver Antonio Brown who scored a desperation touchdown for his team. He wasn't able to step foot inside the line but fortunately, his arm extension was enough to score for his team. The play was famously known as the “Immaculate Extension.”
The game concluded on a tight 31–27 win for the Steelers. The win secured the AFC North championship for Pittsburgh and eliminated Baltimore from playoff contention. This winning play remains to be one of the most celebrated highlights of Antonio Brown's career.
1. Polamalu's Game-Winning Interception
In Week 15 of the 2008 season, the Steelers faced the Ravens in Baltimore with the AFC championship on the line. With the Steelers up by a slim 16-14 lead, Troy Polamalu put away the game's finishing touches. The star safety intercepted a pass from Joe Flacco and returned it for a 40-yard touchdown. The game-winning drive sealed a 23–14 victory for Pittsburgh as the team went on to win the Super Bowl XLIII championship.
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