A rivalry renewed

They've battled twice a season, and for a third time on five occasions that included a subsequent meeting in the postseason, ever since the Browns migrated from Cleveland to the Inner Harbor and became the Ravens in 1996.

Steelers-Ravens has seemingly inspired every emotion imaginable ever since, including gratitude on the part of the combatants.

"I'm so thankful for this rivalry," Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger maintained after what would be his final Steelers-Ravens confrontation in January of 2022.

In honor of the resumption of hostilities on Sunday in Baltimore, here's a look back at a few of the more memorable Steelers-Ravens confrontations of recent vintage:

Jan. 11, 2025: Crowned By The King

The Ravens rushed for 299 yards, including 186 on 26 carries by running back Derrick Henry, and bounced the Steelers from the playoffs, 28-14, in an AFC Wild Card Game in Baltimore.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed 15 times for 81 yards.

The Steelers gained 29 yards on 11 attempts on the ground.

The Ravens scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions and took a 21-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Steelers managed just two first downs and only had the ball for a combined 9:33 in the first two quarters.

The Ravens amassed 19 first downs, converted seven of eight third-down attempts and out-gained the Steelers 308-59 in the first 30 minutes.

Jan. 6, 2024: Rudolph Saves Christmas (and the New Year)

The Steelers outscored the Ravens, 10-3, in the fourth quarter, ultimately prevailed, 17-10, and, coupled with a Jaguars' loss to the Titans the next day, clinched the final spot in the AFC playoffs.

Quarterback Mason Rudolph won for the third consecutive game after being inserted as the Steelers' starter for a game against Cincinnati on Dec. 23. The Steelers came out on top in that one, 34-11, and won the following week in Seattle, 30-23.

Rudolph completed 18 of 20 passes in miserable conditions for 152 yards against the Ravens, including a 71-yard touchdown connection with wide receiver Diontae Johnson that broke a 7-7 tie in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The win was the Steelers' seventh in their last eight meetings with the Ravens, all of which were decided by seven points or fewer.

And their fourth consecutive win at M&T Bank Stadium extended the longest such run since the Steelers won five straight in Baltimore from 1998 to 2002.

Jan. 1, 2023: Pickett's Charge

Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett completed an 11-play, 80-yard drive in 3:20 with a game-winning, 10-yard touchdown pass to running back Najee Harris with 56 seconds remaining in regulation in a 16-13 Steelers' triumph in Baltimore.

The win improved the Steelers' record to 8-8 on the way to a 9-8 finish that would come up short of the postseason. But with Pickett winning for the sixth time in his first 11 starts and Harris, a second-year, former first-round pick, rushing for 111 yards in addition to catching the game-winning pass from Pickett, a fellow first-round pick, the Steelers' future seemed to be unfolding before their eyes.

The Ravens, who fell to 10-6, hadn't allowed a touchdown at home since before Halloween.

Pickett completed five of six passes for 54 yards and also rushed twice for 2 yards, both times converting a first down on third-and-1, on the winning march.

Harris carried three times for 12 yards in addition to catching the winning touchdown off a Pickett scramble on third-and-8 from the Baltimore 10-yard line on the drive.

Happy New Year.

Jan. 9, 2022: Ben's Last Stand

The Steelers needed a win in Baltimore, a Jaguars win over the Colts and the Chargers-Raiders game to not end in a tie to reach the postseason.

In what would turn out to be his final season, Roethlisberger held up his end.

With everything at stake Roethlisberger engineered a 15-play, 65-yard drive in 4:28 that ended with a 36-yard field goal by kicker Chris Boswell with 1:56 let in overtime for a 16-13 triumph.

The Steelers were out-rushed 249-79 but Roethlisberger's final completion in a 30-for-44, 244-yard performance found wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud for 10 yards on fourth-and-8 from the Baltimore 41-yard line on the winning march.

Outside linebacker T.J. Watt's sack of quarterback Tyler Huntley in the final minute of the second quarter tied Michael Strahan's NFL single-season record (22.5, 2001) on the way to the Steelers improving to 9-7-1 and reaching the postseason.

The Ravens were eliminated from playoff contention.

Dec. 2, 2020: Happy Hour

A game that had originally been set for Thanksgiving night was rescheduled three times due to COVID-19 concerns and didn't kickoff until Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 4:30 p.m.

The Steelers remained light enough on their feet to win,19-14, and improve to 11-0.

Although less than elated with their overall game, the Steelers became the 11th team since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978 to open a season 11-0.

The Ravens played without more than a dozen regulars who had been relegated to the reserve/COVID-19 list, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning NFL MVP.

They rushed for 129 yards to the Steelers' 68, but Roethlisberger completed 36 of 51 passes for 266 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

The Ravens were limited to 110 passing yards, 70 of which came on a touchdown pass from quarterback Trace McSorley, one of 11 Baltimore call-ups from the practice squad for the game, to wide receiver Marquise Brown with 2:58 left in regulation.

Dec. 29, 2019: Duck Season

The Steelers travelled to Baltimore hoping for a win over the Ravens and help elsewhere to reach the postseason.

They got neither.

Devlin "Duck" Hodges completed just nine of 25 passes for 95 yards and the Steelers' quest to become the seventh team since 1970 to reach the playoffs following an 0-3 start came to an end in the rain, 28-10.

The Steelers had lost quarterback Roethlisberger for the season in the second game of the campaign but still managed to win eight of 10 following their 0-3 start with Rudolph, a former third-round pick in his second NFL season, and Hodges, an undrafted rookie from Samford, sharing the quarterback chores in Big Ben's extended absence. Hodges started the final five games, victories over Cleveland and at Arizona and losses to Buffalo, at the New York Jets and at Baltimore.

The Ravens' playoff positioning wouldn't be affected in the regular-season finale so they rested several starters. They still won the game and clinched the best record in franchise history at 14-2. Their 223 yards rushing established an NFL record for rushing yards in a season at 3,296.