The Baltimore Ravens drew first blood in their pivotal AFC North showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers, as MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson connected with tight end Isaiah Likely for an early touchdown. Jackson’s 8-yard scoring strike gave the Ravens a 7-0 lead at M&T Bank Stadium and inched him closer to setting a new personal best for TD passes in a season.
Baltimore enters this game trailing Pittsburgh by one game in the hyper-competitive AFC North race. A win would vault the Ravens back into first place and put them in prime position to end their recent run of futility against their archrivals. The Ravens have dropped 8 of the last 9 meetings with the Steelers, a skid they are determined to snap in front of their home crowd.
Lamar Jackson Dealing Early
On the Ravens’ opening possession, Jackson was surgical, completing 3 of 4 passes for 30 yards. The drive was jump-started by the powerful legs of running back Derrick Henry, who racked up 33 yards on his first five carries against the rugged Pittsburgh front seven. Henry’s punishing runs set Baltimore up in the red zone, where Jackson did the rest, finding Likely on a crossing route for the game’s initial score.
The Jackson-to-Likely connection marked the 35th touchdown pass of the season for Baltimore’s superstar QB, leaving him just one shy of matching his career high set in his 2019 MVP campaign. With Henry hammering away on the ground and Jackson dealing through the air, the Ravens’ offense looks primed for a big day in this must-win divisional clash.
Derrick Henry Gashing Steelers
While Henry is arguably the most physically imposing back in football, the Steelers’ defense has had his number throughout his brilliant career. In fact, entering today, Henry has never rushed for 100 yards in a game against Pittsburgh. But on the Ravens’ first two drives, Henry looked determined to reverse that trend, bullying the Steelers for 52 yards on just 8 attempts.
Every time I play them, it’s always a challenge. They’ve got a great defense, but today, the offensive line is controlling the line of scrimmage. The holes are there. I just have to hit them hard and finish runs. It’s a four-quarter game, but we’re off to a good start.
Derrick Henry on his early success vs. the Steelers
Henry’s powerful running has been the ideal complement to Jackson’s efficient passing. By pounding away with Henry early, the Ravens have been able to sustain long drives, chewing up both yards and clock. More importantly, Henry’s ability to drag tacklers and fight through contact has Baltimore’s offense operating ahead of the chains and not living in third-and-long.
Playoff Implications Aplenty
Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh entered this contest in strong position to reach the postseason, but neither team has been able to create much separation in the standings. The Ravens, Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals have spent the better part of two months jockeying for position atop the AFC North. A victory today would go a long way toward determining January football seeding in this talent-rich division.
- Ravens’ path to the playoffs: Beat the Steelers today, win out vs. Falcons and Bengals, secure at least a Wild Card spot and potentially the AFC North crown.
- Steelers’ path to the playoffs: Defeat the Ravens today, win one of last two (vs. Raiders, at Browns) to clinch AFC North title and host a playoff game.
The stakes couldn’t be higher in this storied rivalry. Jackson and Henry have the Ravens’ high-powered attack firing on all cylinders early. But if there’s one certainty in a Ravens-Steelers tilt, it’s that no lead is safe. Expect Mike Tomlin’s club to counterpunch as this pivotal divisional showdown unfolds.
