Ravens vs. Steelers, NFL playoffs 2015: AFC North rivals battle in Wild Card game
One of the league’s fiercest rivalries is renewed when the Steelers and Ravens meet in a Wild Card game at Heinz Field on Saturday night.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens meet in primetime for a third time this season with a berth in the divisional round of the playoffs at stake. The AFC North rivals split their first two meetings in 2014, with the home team posting identical 20-point wins each time.
Despite those blowouts this season, this has been one of the league’s most competitive rivalries in recent years. The Ravens and Steelers have split their last 16 regular season matchups, with 10 of those games being decided by a field goal or less. Pittsburgh does have the decided advantage in the playoffs, however, winning all three previous meetings by an average of 11 points per game.
Pittsburgh snapped a rare two-season playoff drought by winning the AFC North, capping off one of the most bizarre 11-win seasons by any team in recent memory. It's hard to believe that the Steelers -- in a two-month span from late September to late November -- lost at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints, and dropped road games against the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. Although Pittsburgh played down to its level of competition at times this season, it rose to the occasion versus the league's elite, going an NFL-best 6-1 against teams with a winning record.
The Ravens sneaked into the postseason on the final weekend of the regular season, rallying to beat the Cleveland Browns while the San Diego Chargers flopped in their finale against the Kansas City Chiefs. Baltimore hardly looked like a playoff team much of the season, going 1-6 versus winning teams and 9-0 against teams with a .500 record or worse. However, that lone quality win came against these same Steelers back in Week 2. If the Ravens are going to beat Pittsburgh again and advance to the divisional round, they need to revive a struggling offense that averaged just 17.7 points in its final three games.
Digits
The outcome of this game likely hinges on the health of Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell, who hyperextended his knee in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Bell was not only the Steelers' MVP, but also arguably one of the most indispensable players in the league. The second-year back totaled a franchise-record 2,215 yards from scrimmage and accounted for 77.7 percent of his team's rushing yards, the second-highest rate in the NFL this season. Aside from the recently signed Ben Tate, no current Steelers running back besides Bell has more than 10 carries in 2014. Even if Bell is able to go, the Steelers will have a tough time running against a stout Ravens defense that surrendered the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL (88.3) this season.
Bell's availability is the big story leading up to this game, but that doesn't hide the fact that the Steelers have a good chance to beat the Ravens without their star running back. Pittsburgh crushed Baltimore 43-23 in Week 9, and they did that despite Bell matching a season-low with 20 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Ben Roethlisberger picked apart a weak Ravens secondary, throwing for 340 yards and six touchdowns. Pittsburgh has the down-field weapons to exploit the Ravens' undermanned pass defense, which ranked 23rd in opponent passing yardage and 22nd in completion percentage this season.
Big Ben is primed for another outstanding effort against the Ravens after delivering the best statistical regular season of his career in 2014. He set franchise records for yards (4,952), completions (408), completion percentage (67.1) and 300-yard games (nine), en route to becoming the first Steeler to win or share the NFL’s passing yardage title since the 1970 merger. Roethlisberger is also one of the best postseason signal callers, ranking second among active quarterbacks in win percentage (.714), and another deep playoff run would certainly add to his legacy as one of the league’s elite quarterbacks.
Who to Watch
Haloti Ngata - The 340-pound defensive end is available to play this weekend after serving a four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. Although Ngata had just two sacks and 32 tackles in 12 games, he remains one of the most dominant players at his position in the NFL, ranking ninth overall among 3-4 defensive ends according to Pro Football Focus' ratings. In two games against the Steelers this season, he totaled one sack, four quarterback hurries and an interception. Oh, and don't forget that he broke Roethlisberger's nose when they faced off in a game in December 2010.
Antonio Brown - The wideout had a near-historic season in 2014, finishing with the second-most receptions of all-time (129) and a franchise-record 1,698 receiving yards. Brown's consistency and play-making ability set him apart as one of the league's best receivers. He has at least five catches and 50 receiving yards in an NFL-record 32 straight games dating back to last season, and his 13 touchdowns this year are tied for the second-most in the league behind Dez Bryant (16). With the Steelers run game likely limited due to the uncertain health of Bell, Brown needs to perform at his best against a Ravens secondary that he has already torched for 234 yards and 18 catches in two games this season.
The Venue
Heinz Field opened in 2001, replacing the historic Three Rivers Stadium, which was home to the Steelers for more than 30 years. The stadium sits on the banks of the Allegheny River with views of the Pittsburgh skyline, and is one of the city’s notable landmarks. The most recognizable parts of the facade are two large, fake Heinz ketchup bottles at the top of the Jumbotron that tip forward and “pour” ketchup on the scoreboard when the Steelers enter the red zone. Despite the presence of those ketchup bottles, the stadium has also been nicknamed The Mustard Palace by fans because of its yellow seats.
How to Watch
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
When: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile | NBC Sports
Odds
Pittsburgh is favored by 3 points at home against Baltimore, with an over/under of 46.5, per OddsShark.
Preliminary Judgment
The Steelers are a near-consensus pick among the experts to beat the Ravens. The only panel member at SB Nation going with Baltimore is PFT Commenter, with the seven others taking Pittsburgh to advance to the divisional round. The guys at CBS Sports and ESPN also are heavily betting on the Steelers to win at home against the Ravens.
Further Reading
For more on the Ravens, check out Baltimore Beatdown.
To keep up with the Steelers, head over to Behind The Steel Curtain.
Get your playoff tickets at Ticket Exchange.
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