The Baltimore Ravens won their way into the postseason and appear to be hitting their stride at the absolute perfect time.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers saw that the Baltimore Ravens were coming to town for an AFC Wild Card matchup, there was a lot of excitement as Pittsburgh appeared to be the better team. That couldn’t have been further from the truth, as the Steelers were manhandled by the Ravens as the first day of the postseason saw two teams that weren’t supposed to win come away with victories.
More from Baltimore Ravens
- Ravens need to give Odell Beckham Jr. a reason not to retire
- NFL Rumors: Ravens additions might not be done after signing Melvin Gordon
- NFL Power Rankings: Who is the best quarterback in each division?
- Is Mark Ingram’s new CFB gig a signal that he’s retired from NFL?
- NFL Power Rankings: Which teams will have the best rushing attacks this season?
The Arizona Cardinals were the lower seed with the higher win total against Carolina Panthers, but the Ravens advance to the AFC Divisional Round as the sixth seed. Baltimore’s 30-15 win over the Steelers ends Pittsburgh’s season and sends the red hot Ravens into a Divisional Round showdown with the New England Patriots.
For a Ravens team that has long prided itself on defensive prowess, the night was owned by the offense as Joe Flacco and company managed 30 points. In addition to that, the Ravens kept the offensive mistakes at a bare minimum, leaving the defense with plenty of time to recharge on the sidelines and make Ben Roethlisberger’s night a living hell.
It wasn’t a terrible game for Big Ben, but it was no six-touchdown performance either. The Ravens had the Steelers number all night long and they exploited the absence of Le’Veon Bell in a big way. It’s impossible to say that things would have ended differently had Bell been able to play, but there were times throughout the game where his absence was felt in big ways.
Baltimore moves on to a Divisional Round game against another playoff foe — the New England Patriots. The No. 1 seed in the AFC had this week off, but the Ravens are not a team to be taken lightly. Baltimore has beaten Tom Brady and the Patriots in the postseason before, and they’re getting hot at just the right time to make a run to the Super Bowl as things are beginning to click like they never before.
More from FanSided
- Joe Burrow owes Justin Herbert a thank you note after new contract
- Chiefs gamble at wide receiver could already be biting them back
- Braves-Red Sox start time: Braves rain delay in Boston on July 25
- Yankees: Aaron Boone gives optimistic return date for Aaron Judge
- MLB Rumors: Yankees-Phillies trade showdown, Mariners swoop, India goes to Seattle