The Steelers suffered a heavy defeat, but who is truly responsible? “Is it the coach’s fault, the players, or the strategy that led to the Steelers’ painful loss to the Ravens?”

BALTIMORE (AP) – Unable to reverse the negative momentum of a late-season fade, the Pittsburgh Steelers disappeared from the playoffs with a humbling loss to their fiercest rival.

Pittsburgh was eliminated by the Baltimore Ravens, who rolled to a 28-14 victory on Saturday night. The Steelers closed the season with five straight losses.

Pittsburgh´s strength this season was its defense. The unit was consistently effective in shutting down the run and notched 33 takeaways, tied for the NFL lead.

In this game, however, the Steelers were trampled by star running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Henry ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson carried for 81 yards and also threw a pair of TD passes.

Pittsburgh failed to force a turnover, leaving its offense a long way to go on virtually every possession.

The Steelers were 10-3 and atop the AFC North on Dec. 8 after trouncing Cleveland at home, but that would be their final win.

Pittsburgh’s final month of the regular season included a 34-17 loss in Baltimore that propelled the Ravens toward the division crown and a home game to start the playoffs. The Steelers (10-8) also lost to Philadelphia, Kansas City and finally, at home against a Cincinnati team that came in with an 8-8 record.

Pittsburgh has never had a losing record in coach Mike Tomlin’s 18 seasons and has reached the playoffs a dozen times under his direction. Although both streaks continued in 2024-25, it’s unlikely Tomlin or Steelers fans will look back on this chapter with any sense of pride.

Just as disheartening, the Steelers have lost six consecutive postseason games since an 18-16 upset of the Chiefs in January 2017. It’s been one-and-done for Pittsburgh over its last five trips to the playoffs, and Tomlin is still striving for his first Super Bowl win since the 2008 season.

Eager for a fresh start after ending the regular season with a thud, the Steelers stumbled from the outset on a chilly night in Baltimore.

Coach Tomlin addresses the media following our game against the Ravens. pic.twitter.com/cb48JNF5ma

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 12, 2025

After Pittsburgh’s opening possession ended with a punt, Baltimore (13-5) covered 95 yards in 13 plays for a 7-0 lead on a touchdown pass by Jackson to Rashod Bateman. Another three-and-out followed for the Steelers, who were outgained 128-27 in the first quarter.

It soon got worse for Pittsburgh. After another Steelers punt, Baltimore put together an 85-yard drive on 13 plays – all of them runs – to go up 14-0.

Just before the half, the Ravens applied another slap in the face to the reeling Steelers. Tomlin called a timeout with 1:08 remaining in hopes of getting the ball back as Baltimore faced a third down on its own 17.

The move backfired. The Ravens zipped downfield and went up 21-0 on Jackson’s TD pass to Justice Hill with 2 seconds left.

Pittsburgh finally got into the end zone with a third-quarter touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Van Jefferson, but Baltimore promptly answered with a 70-yard drive, ending with a 44-yard run by Henry.

The Ravens finished with a 299-29 advantage in yards rushing.

The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Baltimore Ravens … again. This time, in the Wild Card Round, as the Ravens emerged victorious with a 28-14 win that never even felt all that close.

The game started with a three-and-out from the Steelers and continued to be dead end after dead end for the offense in the first half. The Ravens in true Lamar Jackson form ran the ball through the quarterback for over 60 years in the first half — more than the entire Steelers’ offense combined. Pittsburgh entered the second half without a single point for the

It wasn’t just Jackson who ran all over Pittsburgh’s defense either — RB Derrick Henry finished with 186 rushing yards and two scores all on his own.

It took until the second half for Pittsburgh to look alive on offense, but by then, it was just too late. The Steelers and Russell Wilson managed two touchdowns in the second half, including two passing touchdowns from 30+ yards to Van Jefferson and George Pickens in the third quarter. Still, it wasn’t enough as the defense failed to come up with key stops and contain the run.

Ravens 28, Steelers 14. Pittsburgh’s season ends here.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ crushing loss to the Baltimore Ravens has sparked debate over who is truly to blame—coach Mike Tomlin, the players, or the strategy. Analyzing the game from various angles helps us understand the multiple factors that contributed to this painful defeat.

Coach Mike Tomlin: Strategic Missteps?

While Tomlin is widely respected, his game management was questioned. His failure to make effective adjustments as the Ravens dominated both offensively and defensively raised concerns. The Steelers seemed stuck, unable to counter Baltimore’s shifting strategies, which contributed to the lopsided scoreline.

Players: Underperformance on Both Sides

The players also had a major hand in the loss. Quarterback Kenny Pickett struggled under pressure, failing to make key plays, while the running game was neutralized. The defense, too, was inconsistent, with missed tackles and a lack of pressure on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, which allowed Baltimore to move the ball easily.

Strategy: A Gameplan That Didn’t Work

The Steelers’ strategy simply couldn’t handle Baltimore’s versatile offense. They struggled to pressure Jackson and were predictable on offense. The Ravens’ ability to exploit Pittsburgh’s weaknesses highlighted the flaws in the Steelers’ gameplan.

Conclusion: A Combination of Factors

In the end, the Steelers’ defeat was the result of a mix of poor coaching decisions, underperforming players, and a flawed strategy. While no single factor can be blamed, the team must reflect on this loss to make necessary adjustments and improve moving forward.