Not since the 2016 season have the Pittsburgh Steelers manged to go beyond the first game after making the playoffs. That season they progressed to the AFC Championship where they met their nemesis in the New England Patriots and lost.
The last time they made the Super Bowl was in the 2010 season when they lost to the Green Bay Packers in SB XLV. The last time they won a Super Bowl was the 2008 season when they beat the Arizona Cardinals in that glorious come from behind 27-23 victory.
Most of Steelers Nation will be quick to point out the Steelers recent poor playoff record under Coach Tomlin. As mentioned, it has been nine seasons since they made the AFC Championship.
The Steelers have previously met the Ravens four times post season, but never in Baltimore. The Steelers lost the last one between these teams, a wildcard game in the 2014 season 30-17.
In Coach Tomlin’s second year as the team’s head coach in 2008, they went 12-4 and beat the Ravens twice in the regular season. Pittsburgh won their nineteenth division title while Baltimore finished behind them in second place at 11-5.
The Steelers overcame the Ravens 23-20 in the week 4 game in a bruising battle that went into overtime. The difference in the teams was the week 15 game in Baltimore. Ben Roethlisberger sealed the Steelers 13-9 win in the last minute with a 92-yard touchdown drive.
As the wildcard, the Ravens had to hit the road. They overcame the Dolphins 27-9 before travelling to Tennessee and squeezing past the Titans 13-10 aided by three forced turnovers as their defense controlled the contest.
The Steelers hosted the Chargers for their divisional game and overcame them 35-24. Pittsburgh kept San Diego to just 15 yards rushing on 12 attempts, the fewest postseason for an opponent. Their win set up a third meeting against the Ravens. The teams had more than local rivalry to play for. The victors would go on to represent the AFC in Super Bowl XLIII.
A low scoring game was predicted as the league’s top two defenses squared up to each other.
“We are very similar teams,” Ravens Ray Lewis suggested. “They have a lot of the same type personalities we have. You have ultimate competitors on both sides of the football. I think that’s where it kind of stirs up.”
Steelers James Farrior was more succinct. “When you have two bullies going up against each other, it’s about who is the strongest bully.”
The Steelers vs the Ravens; AFC Championship, January 18, 2009
When the Ravens won the coin toss, they tried to stamp their mark early on the game by deferring their options. This only served to give the Steelers the opportunity to score first.
On a cold, snowy night, a catch by Hines Ward of 45 yards helped the Steelers to move the chains on their first series before they were held to a Jeff Reed 34-yard field goal.
As expected, defenses dominated the early exchanges. Baltimore’s Ray Lewis forced a fumble from Willie Parker, but the Steelers defense proved solid and kept them at bay on a fourth and one.
While the Ravens were unable to make an impression on the scoreboard, Deshea Townsend intercepted Baltimore’s Joe Flacco. The Steelers profited with another field goal from 42 yards.
On a Steelers third down and nine at the beginning of the second quarter, Baltimore blitzed. Ben Roethlisberger dodged the swarm of Ravens before side arming a wobbling ball that found Santonio Holmes on the sideline. Holmes cut across the field evading tackles before scoring a 65-yard touchdown. After Jeff Reed’s conversion, the Steelers led 13-0.
Two series later, after Ward had left the game with a knee injury, the Ravens fought back. A Baltimore punt return of 45 yards put them in excellent field position. A pass interference penalty on Bryant McFadden then moved the ball to Pittsburgh’s 13. Willie McGahee took the ball in for a 13-yard touchdown to reduce the Ravens’ deficit.
Following a 25-yard punt return from Holmes and with one minute remaining in the half, Roethlisberger launched a bomb to a wide open Limas Sweed. The pass fell incomplete after bouncing out of the receiver’s hands and the Steelers went into the locker room only 13-7 ahead.
The defenses continued to dominate in the third quarter with only Reed adding to the scoreboard with a field goal from 46 yards.
In the final period Baltimore’s rookie quarterback began to find his receivers. He led the Ravens on an 8-play drive of 58 yards finishing with a 1-yard touchdown run from McGahee.
With the Steelers lead reduced to two points and the Ravens energized, Pittsburgh went three and out and were forced to punt. Baltimore moved the chains on their next series and were looking to take their first lead of the game.
On a third down, Flacco fired a pass to Derrick Mason. Troy Polamalu was reading the play. He stole the ball from the intended receiver before turning across the field evading tackles. Polamalu danced down the right sideline for a 40-yard interception that he returned for a touchdown.
Polamalu had clinched his team’s ticket to Tampa and also confirmed the NFL’s number one defense was the one that played in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Steelers 23 vs the Baltimore Ravens 14
“Steelers claim defensive title by knockout,” was the appropriate headline in the Post Gazette.
The Steelers won their seventh AFC Championship game and would head to Tampa to play the Arizona Cardinals in one of the great Super Bowls. It would be the second appearance in the big game for both Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger and they would bring a sixth Lombardi trophy back to Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have beaten the Ravens three times in the playoffs.
January 2002 AFC Divisional round
Steelers 27 Ravens 10
January 2009 AFC Championship
Steelers 23 Ravens 14
January 2011 AFC Divisional round
Steelers 31 Ravens 24
January 2015 AFC Wild Card round
Ravens 30 Steelers 17
