Steelers-Ravens rivalry
Encyclopedia
| Baltimore Ravens–Pittsburgh Steelers | |
|---|---|
| Coin toss between Pittsburgh and Batimore in 2009. | |
| History | |
| 1st Meeting | September 8, 1996 |
| Last Meeting | September 11, 2011 |
| Next Meeting | November 6, 2011 |
| Number of Meetings | 53 |
| All-Time Series | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... : 21-14 Tied, 8-8 @ Baltimore PIT Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... , 13-6 @ Pittsburgh |
| Regular Season Series | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... : 18-14 Tied, 8-8 @ Baltimore PIT Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... , 10-6 @ Pittsburgh |
| Largest victory | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... : 37–0 (11/9/1997) |
| Current Streak | BAL Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... : Won 2 |
| Longest BAL Win Streak | 3 (2005–2006) |
| Longest PIT Win Streak | 5 (1997–1999), (2001–2003) |
| Post Season Series | PIT Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... : 3-0 |
| January 20, 2002 | Steelers won 27–10 |
| January 18, 2009 | Steelers won 23–14 |
| January 15, 2011 | Steelers won 31-24 |
| Championship Success | |
Super Bowl Championships (7)
Conference Championships (9)
Divisional Championships AFC North The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions... (22)
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The rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
is one of the most intense in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Both teams are members of the AFC North division, and play at least twice a year in what are often battles for divisional supremacy. Both teams are known for fielding tough, hard-hitting defensive squads, giving their games an extra element of physical intensity.
The two teams have met in the postseason three times, all resulting in Steelers wins. They are the only two teams in the AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
to have won the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, and possess a combined 7-2 record in the game.
History
In 1996, NFL football returned to BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, 12 years after the original Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
moved
Baltimore Colts relocation controversy
The Baltimore Colts relocation controversy was the decision by then-Colts owner Robert Irsay to move the National Football League team from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana completely unannounced and in the wee hours of March 29, 1984 after years of fighting over a new stadium to...
to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. In a strange twist of fate, Art Modell
Art Modell
Arthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
relocated his Central Division team to Baltimore. The inter-divisional rivalry carried over with both teams remaining in what was then the AFC's Central Division. Since the formation of the AFC North in 2002, the Steelers and Ravens have dominated the division, with the Steelers winning or tying for six divisional titles (as of 2010) and the Ravens taking two however, the Ravens did clinch a playoff spot in 2009 as a wild-card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
as the Steelers barely missed the playoffs.) Sports Illustrated has ranked the rivalry #2 on a list of "Top 10 New NFL Rivalries."
| "The coaches hate each other, the players hate each other... There's no calling each other after the game and inviting each other out to dinner. But the feeling's mutual: They don't like us, and we don't like them. There's no need to hide it, they know it, and we know it. It's going to be one of those black and blue games." |
| ~- Steelers WR Hines Ward Hines Ward Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia... |
It is currently the top rivalry for both teams. In Baltimore, it has the added element of a small number of former Colts fans in the area becoming Steeler fans
Steeler Nation
Steeler Nation is the unofficial name of the fan base of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, coined by NFL Films narrator John Facenda in "Blueprint for Victory," the team's 1975 highlights film...
after the Colts moved, then retaining their affiliation with the Steelers after the Ravens moved to Baltimore and assumed the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' spot in the AFC Central
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
with the Steelers. In Pittsburgh, it is considered the spiritual successor to the Browns–Steelers rivalry due to the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
Cleveland Browns relocation controversy
The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy was the decision by then Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 NFL season...
as well as the "reactivated" Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
having a 4-21 record against the Steelers since returning to the league in 1999. Due to its physical nature, it has received comparisons to the rivalry the Steelers had with the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1970's, when those two teams were among the most physical teams in the league. The two teams are so similar in style that they have received comparisons to each other in a similar matter to that of the Mirror, Mirror episode of Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
.
Since the Steelers introduced their throwback uniform
Throwback uniform
Throwback uniforms and jerseys are one-time or limited-time variations on a sports team's uniforms styled to resemble uniforms from that team's past. They have proven popular in all major pro and college sports in the USA, not only with fans, but with the teams' marketing and merchandising...
as their alternate uniform
Third jersey
A third jersey or alternate jersey is a sports team's alternate and/or throwback design for the previously established other two jerseys, the home and away outfits. Alternate jerseys are used in all four of the North American major professional sports leagues as well as college sports, semipro...
in 2007, they have used one of their two annual allotted games with the uniform against the Ravens at home three times, signifying the significance of the rivalry. The Ravens have typically worn their regular uniforms at home against the Steelers instead of their all-black third uniform.
Some memorable moments in the rivalry have included Ravens Linebacker Terrell Suggs
Terrell Suggs
Terrell Raymonn Suggs is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens tenth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft after playing his college football at Arizona State....
being quoted as saying that a "bounty" was put out on the head of Steelers Wide Receiver Hines Ward
Hines Ward
Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...
. The bounty controversy was cleared up when Suggs insisted his words were just meant as a joke. The NFL investigated and Suggs was cleared of any wrong doing.
The rivalry reached a new height of intensity during the 2008 NFL season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
, when the Steelers and Ravens played three times, the last match being the AFC Championship. The Steelers won all three games, by close margins. The margins were so close that in the regular season just under two yards would have shifted from a Steelers sweep to a Ravens sweep. In week 15, the Steelers won with a controversial score late in the game. In the playoff game, a personal foul by the special teams player Daren Stone
Daren Stone
Daren Stone is an Canadian football Linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders. Stone is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
cost the Ravens 25 yards. The last play was an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Troy Polamalu. In that same game the Steelers' Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark
Ryan Clark may refer to:* Ryan Clark , NFL football player* Ryan Clark , Australian actor* Ryan Clark , co-founder of the band Demon Hunter* Ryan Clark , creator of the game Incredibots...
delivered a controversial hit on the Ravens' Willis McGahee
Willis McGahee
Willis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
that left Clark briefly out cold and forced McGahee to spend the night in a Pittsburgh hospital.
The Rivalry continued in the 2009 season. Both the Steelers and the Ravens went 9-7, but Baltimore won a wild-card slot due to a better division record . Baltimore won the Wild-Card game by defeating the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
33–14, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
the following game.
In 2010, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin
Michael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
called the Steelers–Ravens rivalry the best rivalry in football during a press conference and on the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
show Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption
Pardon the Interruption is a sports television show that airs weekdays on various ESPN TV channels, TSN, ESPN America, XM, and Sirius satellite radio services, and as a downloadable podcast. It is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who discuss, and frequently argue over, the top stories...
. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh later agreed with this assessment. On opening day of the 2011 season, the Ravens forced 7 turnovers and routed the Steelers 35-7 at M&T Bank Stadium
A notable battleground for the rivalry is the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
market area. Harrisburg is officially a secondary market for the Ravens, and so WHP-TV
WHP-TV
WHP-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for South Central Pennsylvania licensed to Harrisburg. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 21. Its transmitter on a ridge north of Linglestown Road in Susquehanna Township...
must show all Ravens road games (if played on Sunday afternoon). The Steelers also have a significant fanbase in the area, so when the Ravens are at home, the Steelers are shown instead.
Game results
The following is a list of results from all of the meetings between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers from their first meeting on September 8, 1996 to the present:| Post Season Meeting NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the... |
Overtime Result Overtime (sports) Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination... |
1990s (Steelers 6-2)
| Year | Date | Winner | Result | Loser | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | September 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 31–17 | Baltimore Ravens | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
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| December 1 | Baltimore Ravens | 31–17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Memorial Stadium Memorial Stadium (Baltimore) Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road... |
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| 1997 | October 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 42–34 | Baltimore Ravens | Memorial Stadium | |
| November 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 37–0 | Baltimore Ravens | Three Rivers Stadium | First season sweep by either team and largest margin of defeat in series history. | |
| 1998 | September 23 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 20–13 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of... |
First loss for Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. |
| October 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 16–6 | Baltimore Ravens | Three Rivers Stadium | ||
| 1999 | September 19 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 23–20 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | |
| December 12 | Baltimore Ravens | 31–24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium | First win for Ravens in Pittsburgh. Ravens wide receiver Qadry Ismail Qadry Ismail Qadry "The Missile" Ismail is a former National Football League wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and the Indianapolis Colts in a 10 year career that lasted from 1993 to 2002... scored three touchdowns (all at least 54 yards) with 258 receiving yards, the all-time record at Three Rivers Stadium. |
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2000s (Steelers 13-9)
| Year | Date | Winner | Result | Loser | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | September 3 | Baltimore Ravens | 16–0 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium | |
| October 29 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9–6 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | Last loss for the Raven for the remainder of the season, en route to the team's victory in Super Bowl XXXV Super Bowl XXXV Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York... . |
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| 2001 | November 4 | Baltimore Ravens | 13–10 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
First loss for Steelers at Heinz Field. |
| October 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 26–21 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | ||
| January 20, 2002 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27–10 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | AFC Divisional Playoff. The first playoff game between the Ravens and Steelers. | |
| 2002 | October 27 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 31–18 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | |
| December 29 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 34–31 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | ||
| 2003 | September 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 34–15 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | |
| December 28 | Baltimore Ravens | 13–10 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | ||
| 2004 | September 19 | Baltimore Ravens | 30–13 | Pittsburgh Steelers | M&T Bank Stadium | Ravens wore white jerseys against Steelers in home opener. Debut of Ben Roethlisberger Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft... after Tommy Maddox Tommy Maddox Thomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, the XFL and the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:At L. D... was injured. Only regular season loss for the Steelers the entire season. |
| December 26 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 20–7 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | ||
| 2005 | October 31 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 20–19 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | |
| November 20 | Baltimore Ravens | 16–13 (OT) | Pittsburgh Steelers | M&T Bank Stadium | ||
| 2006 | November 26 | Baltimore Ravens | 27–0 | Pittsburgh Steelers | M&T Bank Stadium | |
| December 24 | Baltimore Ravens | 31–7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Heinz Field | ||
| 2007 | November 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 38–7 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | |
| December 30 | Baltimore Ravens | 27–21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | M&T Bank Stadium | ||
| 2008 | September 29 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 23–20 (OT) | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | |
| December 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13–9 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | ||
| January 18, 2009 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 23–14 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | AFC Championship. The first AFC Championship game between the Ravens and Steelers (Steelers 2-0 in playoffs vs Ravens). | |
| 2009 | November 29 | Baltimore Ravens | 20–17 (OT) | Pittsburgh Steelers | M&T Bank Stadium | |
| December 27 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 23–20 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | ||
2010s (Ravens 3-2)
| Year | Date | Winner | Result | Loser | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 2010 NFL season The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,... |
October 3 | Baltimore Ravens | 17–14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Heinz Field | |
| December 5 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13–10 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium | ||
| January 15, 2011 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 31–24 | Baltimore Ravens | Heinz Field | AFC Divisional Playoff. Steelers remain undefeated in the playoffs against the Ravens (3-0). | |
| 2011 | September 11 | Baltimore Ravens | 35–7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of... |
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| November 6 | Baltimore Ravens | 23–20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
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