Pittsburgh Review

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC Wild Card game, marking their 13th postseason encounter with a divisional opponent. Historically, the Steelers have triumphed in 10 out of 12 such matchups. This will be their fifth playoff meeting against Baltimore, having won three of the previous four.

The teams met twice during the regular season, with each securing a victory. The upcoming game will be their third meeting within nine weeks, the shortest turnaround for such encounters in Steelers' history. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin expressed enthusiasm about this dynamic, stating, "I want the responsibility of being a component of how this game unfolds and to try to stay a step ahead of them."

Baltimore's head coach John Harbaugh downplayed any added difficulty from facing a familiar opponent thrice in quick succession. He remarked, "You probably have certain things that are understood... your jumping-off point is further down the road for sure."

The Steelers hold a strong record when facing opponents for a third time in one season, standing at 10-2 overall and 3-2 under Tomlin. In contrast, the Ravens have struggled with a 2-4 record in similar situations under Harbaugh.

This matchup will also see both teams dealing with significant injuries. The Ravens lost star wideout Zay Flowers last week, while Pittsburgh has previously dealt with key absences but managed to maintain success.

Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth recently led his team in receptions for the first time since Heath Miller achieved this feat in 2012. Freiermuth noted that it's not something he's focused on currently: "Hopefully we have four more weeks to deal with before that happens."

In defensive strategy, cornerback Joey Porter Jr.'s potential role could be pivotal as he might shadow Baltimore's Rashod Bateman again after successfully limiting him earlier this season.

As both teams prepare for Saturday's showdown amidst injuries and strategic adjustments, turnovers remain crucial; Pittsburgh was plus-15 in turnover margin during its victories this season compared to just plus-1 during losses.

With historical context favoring them despite recent challenges—including entering playoffs on a losing streak—the Steelers aim to capitalize on familiarity and past successes against divisional foes like Baltimore.