The Pittsburgh Steelers announced that they moved their Wednesday practice to Acrisure Stadium instead of the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, their usual practice location on the South Side. Practicing at Acrisure will allow the Steelers to work in a stadium environment as they prepare for a hostile atmosphere before they head to Baltimore on Saturday to take on the Ravens.
This isn’t the first time the Steelers are moving practice to Acrisure to prepare for a big-game environment, as the team did the same thing last year to prepare for its Wild Card matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers also practiced at Acrisure Stadium ahead of their second preseason game when they had a joint practice with the Bills.
The change allows the Steelers to work in-stadium to prepare for Baltimore and help them pump in noise so the players will be acutely aware of what they’re facing in Baltimore. While the Steelers played at M&T Bank Stadium just a few weeks ago on Dec. 21, the atmosphere will be ratcheted up for a playoff game, and Mike Tomlin wants the Steelers to be as prepared as possible as they look to end their playoff losing streak, which dates back to the 2016 season.
Pittsburgh and Baltimore are both quite familiar with each other, but this is just the fifth playoff appearance between the two. The Steelers are 3-1 against the Ravens in postseason action, but Baltimore got the upper hand the last time the two played in 2014, beating the Steelers 30-17. This will be the first Steelers-Ravens playoff matchup that will take place at M&T Bank Stadium, and the Steelers will be prepared for all that it entails with their practice today moving to Acrisure Stadium.
It’s the Steelers’ fourth-straight playoff road game, and it’s highly unlikely they wind up hosting a game at Acrisure Stadium during this postseason. The only way that could happen is if the Steelers wind up playing the Broncos, which wouldn’t happen until the AFC Championship Game. Pittsburgh’s last postseason home game was an embarrassing 48-37 loss at the hands of the Cleveland Browns.
