The Steelers have yet to pull off a win on Thanksgiving in the Super Bowl era and that trend may continue this year
The Steelers find themselves atop the AFC North entering this critical week 12. While any matchup against the Ravens is never easy, this matchup on paper should in theory favor the Steelers. The Steelers have the superior record between the two and they have already beaten the Ravens earlier in the year. As well, both teams are coming off short weeks for this matchup, essentially serving as a wash as a disadvantage.
The issue is the Steelers have a horrible record in terms of Thanksgiving play. Since the Super Bowl was created, this team has yet to win on Thanksgiving. The only positive trend that the team can cite is that over the four games on Thanksgiving that this team has played, each loss has gotten closer. Their first bout in 1983 was a blowout, and their most recent endeavor in 2013 was only a two-point loss. With all of this said, here is a summary by game and what it means for the Steelers.
A quick note
This is merely a trend for this team and doesn’t guarantee a win or a loss for the team on Thursday. The Steelers are fielding their best team in a long time which should make them competitive in any game they play. That said the Ravens will be a tough opponent no matter what week it is and playing off the short week is never an easy feat.
Because of this, the trend of Thanksgiving losses could end up being applicable on Thursday. Any game against the Ravens is a tough one typically, so throwing in the short week and the history of losses on Thanksgiving could be an issue. No matter what, expect this trend to be a talking point come Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving 1983
The Steelers first foray into a modern-day Thanksgiving game was an absolute travesty. Despite having the better record and being the favorites to win, the team was decimated by the Lions 45-3. While this team was far from the dominant franchise it was in the ’70s, it still featured plenty of the stars from that era such as Franco Harris and Jack Lambert. Neither were their dominant selves, and the team around them had fallen off in a major way.
The biggest folly on the day was the combination of Mark Malone and Cliff Stoudt completing 11 total passes for 99 yards and five interceptions. Even in an era that was more centered on running the ball, stats like those are hard to overcome. Meanwhile, the Lions, led by running back Billy Sims and his 150 plus total yards and two scores, took an early lead and never looked back.
This game goes to show you that no matter the records before the game, anyone can win an NFL game. The Steelers learned this the hard way and were embarrassed by the Lions in their first modern Thanksgiving bout. No game would be this lopsided for the team again on turkey day, but this was certainly a tough way to start off their limited Thanksgiving day streak.
Thanksgiving 1991
This game mostly flipped the script from the previous Thanksgiving game, as the Steelers were the clear underdogs in this matchup. This was the dawn of the Cowboys 90’s dynasty, as both Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith were just starting their eventual hall of fame careers. Those two were the real reasons that the Steelers lost, as both combined for 285 yards and both of the Cowboys scores.
The Steelers defense did well besides allowing success from the two Cowboys stars. The unit had four sacks on the day. The issue was the offense, as the group didn’t muster much of a push. While Neil O’Donnell wasn’t as bad as both quarterbacks in 1983, he only tallied 167 yards and no scores in the game. Warren Williams had the only score for the Steelers, but he failed to log more than 59 yards rushing for the game.
On paper, this game went as everyone previewed it. The Cowboys stars continued to succeed despite some resistance from the Steelers defense. The problem was the lackluster Steelers defense, as they struggled to move the ball. Take heed of this week, as the Ravens have quite a few stars that have already shined against the Steelers this season. The team will need to be able to put them out if they want to win.
Thanksgiving 1998
The Steelers entered this game eerily similar to 1983’s contest, as they were slight favorites due to their superior record. The real talk entering this game was the battle of the running games, as the Steelers entered the game with Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart at quarterback. Meanwhile, the Lions had Barry Sanders at the helm. Surprisingly enough, neither running back did much. Bettis logged 67 yards on 26 carries while Sanders was held to 33 yards on 20 carries.
This game was dominated by two storylines and both bad for the Steelers. First, Charlie Batch had a great day connecting with Herman Moore. Moore put up eight receptions for 148 yards and the lone touchdown on the day. The second issue was that while the Steelers dominated in terms of time of possession, they still came out the losers as their offense (once again) struggled to move the ball.
This game was the closest Thanksgiving bout for the Steelers yet, as it wasn’t until an overtime field goal from Jason Hanson that the game ended in a Lions win. Despite the offensive struggles, this game was one that should have ended in a Steelers win. They did most things right but still came out with the short end of the stick.
Thanksgiving 2013
Finally, we come to the most recent Thanksgiving Day bout against the Ravens. This game is arguably the most applicable, as it is the most recent example and against the team, the Steelers will ultimately face off against this week. Both teams entered with the same record and were fighting for an edge in the AFC North that year. This game was the closest yet but still ended in a Steelers loss.
The Steelers offense was better than the Ravens, and both defenses were solid overall. Similar to 1998, this game looks like one that the Steelers should have won based on stats alone. The biggest issue was Justin Tucker, as he was the eventual cause of a loss. He connected on five field goals on the day which, along with an early touchdown pass, swung the game for the Ravens. The Steelers scored three times to their credit, but the classic “bend don’t break” defense failed. It did enough to prevent touchdowns yes, but the Ravens moved the ball well enough to still score via Tucker.
This game also has the distinction of being one of the dirtier ones from the Steelers. Mike Tomlin famously was standing close to the field of play on a kickoff return that should have been a touchdown which made Jacoby Jones lose his stride. Even with that and a strong second half, the Steelers still found themselves defeated after this game.
While none of these games will likely be a direct comparison from this Thursday, notice a lot of the trends that have appeared from these bouts. Even when the Steelers were favored, they still struggled on both sides of the field at times. They will be facing off against a unique talent in Lamar Jackson, meaning the defense needs to be on its toes. Most importantly, the Steelers can’t allow for the same issues that have haunted them on thanksgiving to reappear this year.