The Pittsburgh Steelers escaped a wild AFC North winner take all with a 26–24 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, a game decided in the final seconds when Baltimore’s rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44‑yard field goal as time expired, handing Pittsburgh the division crown and a home wild‑card date next Monday against the Houston Texans.
The fourth quarter felt like postseason football, a back‑and‑forth sprint that featured big plays, tense special‑teams moments and a finish that will be replayed for years. Aaron Rodgers engineered the late go‑ahead drive that culminated in a touchdown to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds left, and the Steelers’ sideline erupted, but not before a string of dramatic swings that left both fan bases breathless.
Special teams wrote the subplot. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell missed an extra point in the fourth quarter, an uncharacteristic error from a kicker who has been almost automatic. Suddenly made every subsequent Baltimore play more dangerous, and the game ultimately hinged on Tyler Loop’s 44‑yard attempt that hooked wide as the clock hit zero, setting off pandemonium in Acrisure Stadium when the kick fell short and Pittsburgh celebrated the division title.
Baltimore’s offense produced explosive plays, most notably two long touchdown catches by Zay Flowers that kept the Ravens within striking distance and forced the Steelers to answer late in the game; those plays underscored Baltimore’s big‑play ability and made the closing minutes feel like a knife fight.
Defensively, Pittsburgh found a game‑changing moment when T.J. Watt came down with an interception on a deflected pass, a turnover that swung field position and momentum at a critical juncture and helped set up one of the Steelers’ scoring drives.
From a box‑score perspective, Aaron Rodgers finished with 294 passing yards (31‑of‑47) and the go‑ahead touchdown, while Lamar Jackson completed 11‑of‑18 for 238 yards with three passing touchdowns and one interception, numbers that reflect how both veteran quarterbacks moved their teams in bursts during a tight contest.
Looking ahead, Pittsburgh now turns to the wild‑card matchup at Acrisure Stadium next Monday night against the Houston Texans, a game that will test the Steelers’ ability to close out tight contests and demand cleaner special‑teams execution than they showed in the finale. Houston will offer stiff competition to an inconsistent Steelers offense.
For the Steelers, the win is both vindication and a warning: clinching the AFC North gives the team momentum and a home playoff game, but the Boswell miss and the late defensive lapses that allowed big plays to Zay Flowers are reminders that small errors can loom large in January.
This rivalry game will be remembered for its breathless fourth quarter, the rare Boswell extra‑point miss, the two long Flowers touchdowns and the final miss by Tyler Loop that handed Pittsburgh a division crown, a finish that feels like a playoff preview and sets the stage for a high‑stakes wild‑card showdown next week. Yinzer Nation, what do you expect next Monday?
(photo courtesy of Steelers.com)