When the Pittsburgh Steelers pick up a big win on the road, oftentimes in the locker room a song featuring the lyrics “walk in yo trap, take over yo trap” is pumping through the sound system.
It feels good to go into someone else’s house, put your feet up on the furniture and do whatever you want, metaphorically speaking.
The Steelers have been on the wrong end of that feeling far too many times when the Jacksonville Jaguars ride into town.
Pittsburgh will welcome Jacksonville on Sunday to Acrisure Stadium, hosting the Jaguars for the first time since January 2018. That month and year should elicit bad memories as the Steelers fell to Jacksonville, 45-42, in the playoffs that day, ending a promising season in the blink of an eye, all but ending the Killer B’s era that we got to know and love.
That painful loss to Jacksonville is just one of many that the Steelers have suffered to the Jaguars on their home turf dating back to 1999.
On Sunday, the Steelers will be searching for their first win over Jacksonville on the North Shore since the 2011 season, according to Stathead. The Steelers have lost five of their last six to Jacksonville at home, and seven of the last nine dating back to 1999. That’s woeful.
Of course, the Steelers have been quite good on the road against the Jaguars, winning six of their last seven matchups at Jacksonville, according to Stathead. But there’s something about playing the Jaguars at home that the Steelers can’t quite figure out.
Aside from the painful playoff loss in the AFC Divisional Round, the Steelers also lost to the Jaguars that year in the regular season at then-Heinz Field, 30-9. They had no real answers for Jacksonville’s offense led by running back Leonard Fournette.
The last time the Steelers beat the Jaguars on the North Shore was on Oct. 16, 2011. The Steelers jumped out to a 17-0 first-half lead that day before holding on for a 17-13 win. Running back Rashard Mendenhall ran for 146 yards that day, while outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley and defensive end Brett Keisel each sacked Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
That day in mid-October was the Steelers’ first win at home over the Jaguars since they opened Heinz Field in 2001. That season, the Steelers beat the Jaguars 20-7 when the two were still divisional opponents. But after that, Pittsburgh went 10 years and three games without beating the Jaguars at home, including one playoff game.
On Oct. 16, 2005, the Steelers lost to Jacksonville 23-17 at home in overtime as cornerback Rashean Mathis picked off quarterback Tommy Maddox and returned the interception for a touchdown, winning the game on the 41-yard return. Then, on Dec. 16, 2007, the Steelers dropped a 29-22 decision to the Jaguars as quarterback David Garrard threw for three touchdowns and running backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew ran wild, combining for more than 200 rushing yards.
That matchup was a sign of things to come that season as Jacksonville road into town for a Jan. 5, 2008, Wild Card matchup and left with a 31-29 win, sending the Steelers home early on a Josh Scobee 25-yard field goal with 37 seconds left. Prior to the Jaguars’ success after 1999 in Pittsburgh, the Steelers had never lost to Jacksonville in the Steel City since the franchise was founded in the mid-90s.
Now, it’s a house of horrors for the Steelers when Jacksonville comes to town.
Sunday offers an opportunity to change that history somewhat. It’s a huge game for both teams. Pittsburgh sits at 4-2 and has a real opportunity ahead with three straight home games. The Jaguars are 5-2, have won four games in the last 19 days and are looking at a much-needed bye week coming up with the opportunity to be 6-2 entering the week off while becoming a legitimate AFC contender.
Something’s got to give on Sunday. Hopefully it’s the Steelers returning the meaning to home-field advantage on the North Shore against the Jaguars.
