One week after appearing to fritter away a golden opportunity and being completely jobbed by the referees, the Pittsburgh Steelers bounced back from their misery in Cleveland to claim their first AFC North title in five years.
In a winner-take-all showdown that lived up to every bit of the hype, the Steelers outlasted the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium. The North was secured when Ravens kicker Tyler Loop sent a 44-yard field goal attempt wide right with no time remaining, sparking a celebration in Pittsburgh years in the making.
This game was exactly why the Steelers waited almost an entire offseason to land Aaron Rodgers. While the offense sputtered early once again. Rodgers proved why he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he absolutely came through when they needed him most. Battling the elements, technical glitches and lousy officiating.
Twice in the final four minutes, Rodgers led the Steelers to touchdowns after the Ravens had snatched the lead. His “calm in the storm” will define this game for years. He finished with a season-high 294 passing yards (31-of-47), and he did it with a depleted receiving corps that was missing DK Metcalf.
The most important of those yards came with 55 seconds left: a 26-yard strike to Calvin Austin III for the game-winning score. The only negative you could say was he did it too fast! Austin, who started the final drive with a 16-yard snag, actually helped devise the winning play in the huddle, hitch-and-go that left the Ravens’ secondary in the dust. Pat Freiermuth chipped in with three catches for 51 yards.
With the passing game finding its legs late, the heavy lifting early came from the backfield. Jaylen Warren was a workhorse with 99 scrimmage yards, while Kenneth Gainwell, the team MVP, racked up 74 total yards.
Gainwell was a massive safety valve for Rodgers, hauling in eight catches for 64 yards out of the backfield. He also punched in a clutch 2-yard touchdown run late in the fourth to give the Steelers a temporary 20-17 lead.
The defense played well but had so many lapses it was frustrating to watch. There were blunders all over the field in the fourth quarter, particularly in the secondary. Jalen Ramsey had a uncharacteristically rough outing, allowing Zay Flowers to get behind him for two long touchdowns (50 and 64 yards).
Alex Highsmith missed a huge sack on Lamar Jackson on 3rd-and-4 that allowed Jackson to escape and find Flowers for that first long score.
However, when they needed plays, the big names showed up. T.J. Watt, returning from lung surgery, snagged a massive interception that set up a third-quarter field goal. Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon were stout in the middle, with Harmon adding a sack.
Cam Heyward continues to defy Father Time, leading the team with seven tackles and leading the second-half effort to keep Derrick Henry in check. If anyone needed this win, it was Heyward. Still stinging from last year’s Wild Card exit where the Ravens gashed the Steelers for 299 rushing yards and pushed the front seven all over the field.
Heyward played like a man possessed. He wasn’t just a leader; he was the key member of the attack. Heyward finished with a team-high seven tackles (five solo), but his impact went far beyond the stat sheet.
After allowing Derrick Henry to rip off a 41-yard run on the very first play of the game, a play where Heyward was actually tripped and struggled to get up, the captain settled in. He spearheaded a defensive front that held Henry to just 85 yards on his final 19 carries. While T.J. Watt got the glory for the third-quarter interception, it was Heyward who made the play possible by batting Lamar Jackson’s pass at the line of scrimmage.
He even contributed on offense. After an unsuccessful “Spartan formation” push earlier in the game, Cam checked back in during the third quarter to help “tush push” his brother, Connor Heyward, over the line for a crucial first down that eventually led to the Steelers’ first touchdown.
Special teams were also a roller coaster and nearly cost the Steelers the game; Chris Boswell drilled a 57-yarder but missed a crucial extra point that nearly cost the game. The kickoff coverage also faltered late, allowing the return that set up Loop’s final attempt.
While the division title is home, Tomlin has plenty to clean up. The back-end coverage remains a concern, and the offense cannot afford these slow starts in January.
But for now? The Steelers have finally gotten off the schneid. They are AFC North Champions and have a date with the Houston Texans on Monday night. With DK Metcalf set to return to the team today, the momentum is officially back in the Burgh.
After the calls for his firing and all the off-field distractions. Tomlin deserves immense credit for keeping this group’s belief high when things looked dire. This team has a chance to win a playoff game for the first time since 2017. Buckle up.
BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!
My “GAME BEER” goes to: Going with two (it’s my blog) Cam Heyward who is the quintessential Pittsburgh Steeler and of course Aaron Rodgers who showed up biggest when the lights were brightest. Both provided veteran leadership. Also Considered: T.J. Watt for the big interception, also how about a shoutout to the offensive line for putting together a tremendous day.
Beer of the Game: Had to go to old faithful…Miller Lite! Have always had a great track record and went with this over IC Light. KGB went Blue Moon with blood orange wedge.
“Steel the Snacks”: We did “Steel the Snacks” this time KGB whipped up some Baltimore Pit Beef, and let me tell you, it was mowed down.
For those who haven’t had it, this isn’t your typical low-and-slow BBQ. This is top round beef, seasoned heavy, grilled over high heat to a perfect medium-rare, and sliced paper-thin. KGB served it up on sliders: piled high on a kaiser roll with plenty of raw onions and a massive smear of “Tiger Sauce” (that heavy horseradish and mayo mix).
It was spicy, it was messy, and just like the Steelers’ defense in the fourth quarter, it had a lot of “kick” to it. Honestly, watching Tyler Loop’s kick sail wide right while finishing off a Pit Beef sandwich might be the highlight of my season.
My stat of the week: TEN as in 10-time AFC North Champions and the Steelers 25th division title. The most in AFC North (Central) history, here is the breakdown:
- Pittsburgh Steelers: With the 2025-26 title, the Steelers now have 25 total division championships. They lead the division in both the modern “North” era and the original “Central” era.
- Baltimore Ravens: While they have the fewest total titles, it is important to remember the franchise only began in 1996. Seven of their eight titles have come since the 2002 realignment.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Their most recent run of dominance included back-to-back North titles in 2021 and 2022.
- Cleveland Browns: The Browns have yet to win the division since the NFL realigned into the North in 2002. Their last division title came in 1989.
- The “Defunct” Champions: Before 2002, the AFC Central also included the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans (3 titles) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2 titles).
My thoughts on next week: The Steelers will play on Monday Night Football, the hardest part of playing the Ravens is both teams hammer each other and usually guys get hurt. The extra day was so important. The team that showed up in the second half minus the miscues could beat anyone. They are going to have to earn it, playing one of the best defenses in the Texans.
Jersey of the Week: Cam Heyward, 97, White away jersey. I picked the away jersey even though we were home, in honor of the Feast of the Epiphany which was celebrated this weekend at my church, The colors are white and gold!