For the third time this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will face off — this time with everything on the line. The AFC North rivals clash in Baltimore for the Wild Card round of the playoffs, marking their first postseason matchup since 2015 and the first-ever playoff meeting between the two teams in Baltimore.
The Steelers enter Saturday’s game as heavy underdogs, carrying the weight of a four-game losing streak and a painful eight-year playoff win drought. If Pittsburgh hopes to avoid another early postseason exit — and a potential blowout — these are the keys they’ll need to focus on to keep their season alive.
Stop the Ravens' running game
Three weeks ago, when these two teams last faced off, the Ravens dominated the Steelers' defense from the outset with a relentless ground attack. Baltimore racked up an impressive 220 rushing yards, setting the tone early and controlling the tempo throughout the game.
Heading into this rematch, expect the Ravens to lean heavily on Derrick Henry once again to wear down the Steelers' defense and grind down the clock. With Pittsburgh’s offense continuing to struggle, Baltimore’s ability to control possession and dictate the pace could prove decisive.
Switch up tendencies
The Steelers offense has been painfully predictable all season. Last week, they ran the ball on nearly every first down, continuing a trend that’s plagued them throughout the year. Pittsburgh has been one of the worst teams in the NFL on first down, yet for reasons beyond comprehension, mediocre Mike Tomlin stubbornly sticks to a ground game that simply doesn’t work.
Time and again, Pittsburgh finds itself facing third-and-long situations. But why?
Russell Wilson, at this point in his career, is no longer effective as a traditional dropback passer. His game now resembles what Baltimore referenced on Hard Knocks — he’s limited to hitting "threes and layups." The Steelers’ passing attack reflects this limitation, relying almost exclusively on deep shots or short, underneath throws, while completely ignoring the middle and intermediate parts of the field. This lack of diversity and creativity has contributed to their four-game losing streak.
Good teams adapt. Unfortunately, the Steelers haven’t — or perhaps can’t — due to personnel limitations. With their season on the line, heading into a third matchup against a division rival who knows them inside and out, predictability could spell their demise.
If they hope to survive, this offense must break free from the stagnation that’s haunted it all year. It’s win or go home — and the only way forward is to die trying something new.
Get off to a hot start
The Steelers have been one of the worst first-quarter teams in the league, and their recent playoff games have only highlighted this issue. They've yet to score a touchdown on their opening drive, and if they hope to have any chance of beating this red-hot Ravens team, they can’t afford another slow start.
Falling behind early has been a major factor in their playoff struggles, as they consistently dig themselves into too deep a hole to recover. To turn things around, they need to get on the board first and set the tone from the very beginning.