This week is sure to be an intense one for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They play the Baltimore Ravens, their biggest rival. The Ravens are also their greatest competition for the division crown at the moment, which gives this game even greater stakes. When these two teams play against each other, they make magic. For that reason, former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski believes the rivalry is second to none in football.
“The Ravens at Steelers, it’s always gonna be a dogfight,” Gronkowski said Wednesday on Up and Adams with Kay Adams. “There’s no doubt about that. The Pittsburgh Steelers fans, they’re gonna be waving that Terrible Towel, they’re gonna be screaming every second.
“It’s gonna go down to the wire. These two are gonna be ripping and clawing at each other like they always have. This is probably the biggest rivalry in all of football right now in the NFL.”
It’s tough to argue that any NFL rivalry is as intense or competitive as the Steelers and Ravens. Other divisions have some quality matchups, like the NFC East and the NFC North, but these two AFC North titans arguably produce the greatest battles on a consistent basis.
Including the playoffs, the series between them stands at 35-25, with the Steelers having a 10-game lead. That might seem a little lopsided in Pittsburgh’s favor, but few of those wins came easy. In fact, the last nine contests between these two teams have been one-score games.
Going back to 2010, there have only been six regular-season games between the Ravens and Steelers that have been decided by more than one score. No matter how much better one team is versus the other, they both play their best against each other.
Take one look at the 2015 season for a good example. That year, the Ravens were decimated by injuries, finishing the year at 5-11. The Steelers, on the other hand, went 10-6 and were contending for a Super Bowl. Despite all of that, the Ravens swept the Steelers that season.
There are other examples too. Just last year, the Steelers were floundering, doing their best to try to sneak into the playoffs. The Ravens had the MVP of the league in quarterback Lamar Jackson, and they were one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. However, they still couldn’t beat the Steelers though Jackson and other key starters when the two met in the regular-season finale.
There might be some rivalries that are older or have bigger moments, but the Steelers and Ravens always bring their best when they face each other. Toughness has defined both of them. This week will mark another entry into their storied history, and both teams are going to treat it with respect. That attitude is why they’ve almost always produced five-star matchups.
