Traditionally, games between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have been close, especially dating back to 2008 when Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh began their coaching rivalry. The teams renew acquaintances in Baltimore on Saturday night.
Close has not been the key word for either team in each club’s last four games. Pittsburgh has lost them all, mostly in ugly fashion, and been outscored a combined 109-57. The Ravens are on a four-game roll, winning the all down the stretch by a culminative 135-43 count. That includes a Saturday afternoon humbling of the Black and Gold, 34-17, in Week 16 at Baltimore.
Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016
The Steelers owned a two-game lead in the AFC North with four weeks to play. Tomlin’s club wound up finishing one game behind the Ravens in the division. Yes, the Steelers are playoff bound again, but to say the team’s postseason play dating back nearly a decade has been horrid would be an understatement.
Pittsburgh has been outscored a combined 202-134 in their last five playoff appearances, all losses, dating back to a 36-17 loss at New England in the 2016 AFC title game. The Steelers have allowed a minimum of 31 points in each setback, 40-plus in losses to the Jaguars (2017), Browns (2020) and Chiefs (2021).
Tomlin’s squad has allowed at least 360 total yards in each defeat. It has given up a disturbing 25 offensive touchdowns in those contests. The big-play Pittsburgh defense has a total of two takeaways (zero in 4 games) and seven sacks in those losses. So much for Tomlin’s forte when it comes to this side of the ball.
The issues haven’t all been on defense. Pittsburgh has committed a dozen turnovers in those five losses. In those contests, Tomlin’s squad has been outscored a combined 66-0 in the first quarter.
Talk about a perfect storm for disaster? All told, the Steelers enter Saturday night’s game with the Ravens on a four-game losing streak, to go along with a five-game playoff skid. Another embarrassing showing by Tomlin and company, and perhaps the longtime sideline leader of the franchise may face a situation some may not have expected after he signed a three-year extension this year. The times could be a-changin’.
One of the more consistent head coaches in any sport - Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record as the Steelers' head coach, but is that the new standard?