Games that shaped a rivalry: Steelers vs. Ravens

The Steelers own a 17-10 edge in the series vs. the Ravens since the franchise moved to Baltimore from Cleveland after the 1995 season. But it has been anything but easy gaining that advantage.

Sunday, January 18, 2009
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/


Roberto Borea/AP
No recount of Steelers-Ravens history would be complete without Joey Porter. Here, he sacks Trent Dilfer in 2000.

Dec. 1, 1996: Ravens 31, Steelers 17 ... The high-flying Steelers visit the lowly Ravens for the first time since their move from Cleveland. The 3-9 Ravens deny them the chance to clinch the AFC Central. "I think, finally, we got that Pittsburgh stigma ... off our back," says coach Ted Marchibroda. Think again.

Sept. 6, 1998: Steelers 20, Ravens 13 ... Who better to christen Baltimore's new stadium. And in the strange fashion that will become commonplace in the series, the game turns on Ravens snapper Harper Le Bel's inability to do his job. Bad snaps cost them one FG and directly lead to one Steelers TD.

Oct. 29, 2000: Steelers 9, Ravens 6 ... It would be the last time the Ravens lose that season. They reel off 11 consecutive victories right through Super Bowl XXXV. Only three of their victims score more than the Steelers' 9 points.

Dec. 16, 2001: Steelers 26, Ravens 21 ... Referred to as "Plexiglass" all week by Ray Lewis & Co., Plaxico Burress, pictured below, catches 8 passes for 164 yards to help the Steelers clinch the AFC Central. Says Lewis: "OK, he's Plaxico now. He can have his name back."

Jan. 20, 2002: Steelers 27, Ravens 10 ... The only playoff meeting between the teams. Of the Ravens' 51 snaps from center, 29 result in plays of 1 yard or less. Says Hines Ward: "They can swagger themselves back to Baltimore."

Oct. 27, 2002: Steelers 31, Ravens 18 ... Tommy Maddox gets his foot stepped on. Plaxico Burress gets his head stepped on. Otherwise, the Steelers do the rest of the day's stomping. "Those 11 kicked the [stuffing] out of us," an unamused Ravens coach Brian Billick says.

Sept. 7, 2003: Steelers 34, Ravens 15 ... A now-legendary pregame confrontation between Baltimore's Ray Lewis and Joey Porter turns the flame up even before the national anthem on opening day at Heinz Field. Lewis mocks Porter's "sack boot" and tells Porter he owns "this house." The final score says he doesn't. "Says Porter: "It was kind of stupid for him to do that."

Sept. 19, 2004: Ravens 30, Steelers 13 ... A bad Steelers loss, yet a day that will forever live in the collective memory of Steelers Nation. Tommy Maddox is knocked from the game in the second half and is replaced by a rookie named Ben Roethlisberger.

Nov. 5, 2007: Steelers 38, Ravens 7 ... In front of many Steelers legends, James Harrison has a Monday night performance worthy of any of them. He has 9 tackles, 31â?„2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception.

Sept. 29, 2008: Steelers 23, Ravens 20 (OT) ... It is a game decided on a Jeff Reed FG but that will be remembered for its vicious hitting and Terrell Suggs' statement later that a bounty is involved in a season-ending shoulder injury to Rashard Mendenhall.

Dec. 14, 2008: Steelers 13, Ravens 9 ... In keeping with the series' memorable moments, Santonio Holmes catches a controversial (and much reviewed) TD pass from Ben Roethlisberger with 43 seconds to play to clinch another AFC North title.

First published on January 18, 2009 at 12:00 am