BALTIMORE — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ hopes of continuing their season were abruptly dashed after enduring a disappointing defeat at the hands of their long-time rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. In a pivotal matchup, the Steelers succumbed to a 28-14 loss, concluding their season with a series of five consecutive defeats.
This particular loss weighed heavier than the others, as Coach Mike Tomlin expressed his frustration and disappointment with the overall performance. “I’m worried less about the regular season,” he remarked. “In the single-elimination tournament, I’m really just disappointed in how we performed tonight, given the opportunity we had.”
Despite the team’s strong defensive reputation throughout the season — characterized by formidable abilities to halt the rush and a league-leading 33 takeaways — the Steelers’ defense faltered. They were overwhelmed by the offensive prowess of Ravens’ star running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Henry displayed remarkable form, rushing for 186 yards and securing two touchdowns, while Jackson accumulated 81 rushing yards and also tossed two touchdown passes.
The yardage disparity was staggering, with the Ravens dominating the ground game with a 299-29 rushing yard advantage. However, the Steelers maintained their resilience, with quarterback Russell Wilson emphasizing the team’s determination, stating, “The best part about the game is the guys didn’t give up. In the National Football League sometimes guys check out. We didn’t.”
Unfortunately, the Steelers were unable to generate turnovers, leading to struggles on nearly every drive. Scoring just two touchdowns against a tough Ravens defense proved insufficient. Coach Tomlin lamented, “In January football, man, you got to score points, and we weren’t able to do that.”
The Steelers had an optimistic start to the season, boasting a record of 10-3 after a dominant win against Cleveland on December 8. However, what followed was a dismal stretch where they lost to the Ravens again, along with defeats to top teams like Philadelphia and Kansas City, culminating in a final home loss to a Cincinnati team that was 8-8. Despite previous successes under Tomlin, including never posting a losing record in 18 seasons and reaching the playoffs twelve times, this year’s performance is likely to be remembered with disappointment.
Moreover, the Steelers have been facing struggles in the postseason as they’ve not won a playoff game since January 2017, suffering six straight losses in the playoffs since a narrow victory over the Chiefs. With Tomlin approaching a grim record of seven consecutive playoff defeats, he reflected on the evening’s outcome, stating, “I’m just assessing what transpired tonight. Those are my bags, not their bags. The journey that we were on certainly came to a disappointing end tonight.”
From the start of the game, it was clear the Steelers were struggling. After their first drive ended with a punt, Baltimore swiftly moved down the field for a quick 7-0 lead, with Jackson connecting with Rashod Bateman. Following yet another Steelers three-and-out, the Ravens executed an 85-yard, 13-play drive, scoring to extend their lead to 14-0.
As the first half drew to a close, the Steelers made a late effort to regain possession, calling a timeout on a crucial third down for Baltimore. However, the Ravens capitalized, scoring another touchdown just before halftime to lead 21-0.
Though the Steelers managed to find the end zone in the third quarter with a pass from Wilson to Van Jefferson, the Ravens responded immediately with a long drive finished off by Henry. Pittsburgh narrowed the gap slightly, but it was ultimately not enough to turn the tide.
Despite the frustration of the loss, Wilson reflected positively on his experience in Pittsburgh, saying, “It’s been truly a blessing in my life, one of the best years for me personally, to be a Pittsburgh Steeler.” Looking forward, he expressed hope to continue his journey with the team, stating, “I hope I’m here. It gave me so much joy being here. I love black and gold.”
