Ravens Let Another One Slip Away vs. Steelers - And the Pattern Is Getting Harder to Ignore
The Ravens had a golden opportunity in Week 14 - a chance to take control of the AFC North, to shake off the ghosts of past divisional heartbreaks, and to assert themselves as the team to beat down the stretch. Instead, they walked off the field at M&T Bank Stadium with another frustrating loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that continues to haunt them in the most painful ways.
This wasn’t a game Baltimore dominated on the scoreboard, but it was one they absolutely could’ve - and arguably should’ve - won. They didn’t trail by much, but mistake after mistake, missed chances, and untimely breakdowns doomed them.
Again. The final score was close, but the story was all too familiar: the Ravens beat themselves.
A Familiar Foe, A Familiar Result
Coming into this one, Baltimore had won two straight against Pittsburgh. But in the bigger picture - especially in the John Harbaugh vs.
Mike Tomlin era - the Steelers have had the upper hand. Since 2015, the Ravens are 9-13 against their division rival.
Since 2020? Just 3-9.
And it’s not just the losses - it’s how they’re losing.
Sunday’s game was a perfect example. The Ravens outrushed the Steelers by 183 yards.
That’s not a typo. They ran wild, controlled the ground game, and still came up short.
It marked the third time since 2020 that Baltimore has outrushed Pittsburgh by 170 or more yards - and lost every single one of those games. No other team in the NFL has ever done that against the Steelers.
Just the Ravens.
To put it in historical perspective: since World War II, the Steelers have only won three games where they were outrushed by 170+ yards. All three of those wins came at Baltimore - in 2020, 2021, and now 2025.
Outgaining the Steelers Doesn’t Seem to Matter
The numbers get even more frustrating from there. Over their last 12 matchups with Pittsburgh, Baltimore has outgained the Steelers in eight of those games. Yet they’ve only won three.
This isn’t just bad luck. This is a failure to close.
A failure to execute when it matters most. And it’s becoming a defining trait of this rivalry in the Harbaugh era.
The Ravens often look like the better team for long stretches of these games. They move the ball.
They control time of possession. They win the yardage battle.
But when it comes to situational football - third downs, red zone efficiency, late-game execution - the Steelers consistently outplay them.
That’s not a talent issue. That’s coaching.
That’s game management. That’s the kind of thing that separates contenders from champions.
The Moment Keeps Slipping Away
For all the success John Harbaugh has had in Baltimore - and there’s plenty - this recurring issue against Pittsburgh is a blemish that keeps growing. His teams are often prepared, physical, and competitive. But when the pressure ramps up, when the moment demands precision and poise, something slips.
Too often, the Ravens are the team making the critical mistake. The missed block.
The blown coverage. The turnover.
The penalty. And in a rivalry as tight and emotional as Ravens-Steelers, those small moments are everything.
One More Shot
The good news? Baltimore might get another crack at Pittsburgh before this season ends.
The Ravens have a tough road ahead, but if they can stay in the playoff picture, Week 18 could set the stage for a high-stakes rematch. And if that happens, they’ll have a chance to rewrite the script - not just for this season, but for the narrative that’s followed them for years.
But they’ll need to earn that opportunity. One game at a time.
No more looking ahead. No more letting winnable games slip through their fingers.
Because if they don’t fix these recurring issues - the late-game lapses, the situational breakdowns - the Ravens won’t just be watching the Steelers from behind in the standings. They’ll be watching them from home in January. Again.