Steelers vs Ravens, a Retrospective

 This rivalry has always meant so much to me. It sounds silly when you put it like that, but if I look back it's honestly the truth. Since I started watching football I was a Steelers fan. Back in 2005 I had a Madden game for my Gameboy Advance. When wanting to choose a team I asked my cousin who won the Superbowl, I was told the Steelers. I chose the Steelers and the rest was history. I learned every player's name and played that game every day. I started watching on TV and seeing the players in real life. I was hooked, this kid from Toronto would never cheer for another NFL team again. 

Cheering for the Steelers comes with a certain responsibility. You have to hate the Ravens. I spent years disliking the Baltimore Ravens to the point I was hoping they'd lose irrelevant games. It was deeper than even the rivalries with the Bengals and Browns. For my entire life it's felt like the Steelers and Ravens have been very evenly matched. The numbers check out too, since I started watching in 2005, the Steelers are 20-18 vs the Ravens, almost perfectly even. No matter who's injured or playing, no matter how the teams perform that year and no matter what city they're playing in it feels like the Steelers and Ravens always go down to the last possession. 

In the February 2013 Superbowl, the Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers to take home the championship. I remember this was kind of hard for 15 year old me. I had dedicated my life to hating the Ravens. It was then when I did some reflecting, did I actually hate the Ravens? As I mentioned, every single Steelers Ravens game was a thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. They always had an awesome defense, the same could be said about my Steelers. They had organizational stability and were consistently one of the better teams in the league, just like my Steelers. The games always got heated and high pressure, but never disrespectful. Games against the Bengals frequently ended in injuries on both sides, games against the Ravens were just hard fought battles. I realized that I actually respected the Ravens. 

Christmas 2016 is a regular season game I will remember for the rest of my life. Winner of the game would win the AFC North. I remember the Steelers got the ball, needing a touchdown to win with the clock dwindling. My dad called the family to the table for Christmas dinner and I had to yell out WAIT! The men in my family gathered around the TV to watch the most exciting regular season drive I can remember. The drive was capped by Antonio Brown somehow battling with 2 defenders on him and barely stretching the football across the goal line as the clock expired. Mike Tirico (I think) said "THAT MAY HAVE JUST WON THEM THE DIVISION!" My uncle exclaimed "Wow! It's like the Superbowl!" And I ate dinner as happy as I could possibly be.

As the years have gone on, both teams have changed. The Ravens have exciting QB Lamar Jackson and the Steelers are on the QB treadmill like most of the league. The defenses have turned over but remain talented. No matter what though, I can count on both games this season being exciting and close. I am forever grateful to have a rival I get to hate as much as the Ravens.