CLEVELAND (93.7 The Fan) – For only the second time in the history of the AFC North (according to ESPN research), two teams will meet next weekend for a winner-take-all game to win the division.
The previous time it happened was December 28, 2014 when the Steelers beat Cincinnati at home 27-17. A 21-yard touchdown from Ben Roethlisberger to Martavis Bryant gave the Steelers the lead in the second quarter and they closed it on a 63-yard TD reception by Antonio Brown. The distinction between this game and that matchup, the Bengals still made the playoffs after losing, the loser in the Steelers-Ravens game will go home.
Minutes after losing 13-6 to the Browns, reaction from the Steelers locker room was mostly defiant and trying to point to having a chance to win at home.
“I have full confidence we’ll go home and win next week,” said Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
He said he feels that way because of how the team has handled adversity all year. Rodgers said they play their best ball when they need to.
“The competitor in me is ‘we lost this game,” said Steelers captain Cam Heyward. “’We lost a chance to clinch (Sunday)’. The competitor in me is like ‘bring it on’. Baltimore is coming in. Winner takes all. Let’s win this at home.”
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Heyward said it reminds him of high school football where everything is riding on every single game, And, whether he was trying to convince himself or not, he said this is what you want.
“It’s a big matchup coming up,” said Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith. “We are at home. We are against a division rival. We all believe in each other, everybody believes in everybody in this room. We got to play like it. We are going to play like it.”
Highsmith said you’ve got to love this game when it hurts and can’t be shaken by the circumstances.
Similar thoughts from linebacker Patrick Queen who said if you really love the sport, you’ve got to be a competitor and accept the situation and embrace the challenge.
“Do you want to keep playing or not?” Queen said. “Do you want to play in the Super Bowl or not?”
In the first meeting this year in Maryland, the Steelers won a tight game as Joey Porter nullified a touchdown late. It was a game the Steelers won despite allowing 217 yards rushing. Baltimore is coming off running for 307 yards in a 41-24 win at Green Bay. Playing without quarterback Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry rushed for 216 yards and four touchdowns.
Steelers have won four of the last five against the Ravens at home. Five times they’ve meet in the playoffs with Baltimore winning the last two, including 28-14 at Baltimore last year. This one is essentially a sixth playoff matchup.