The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to win their first NFL Playoff game since losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in January 2017. Head Coach Mike Tomlin, considered one of the league’s best coaches, is 0-4 in his last four playoff starts. It is not just that the Pittsburgh Steelers have lost their last four playoff games, they have been embarrassed in those games. Pittsburgh’s issue has been extremely slow starts.
They have fallen behind 21-0, 28-0, 35-7, and 21-0 in their last four playoff games. Pittsburgh must flip the script this evening on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. Will the Pittsburgh Steelers be able to get a playoff victory for the first time in nearly eight years?
Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff Prognosis
The Steelers HAVE to avoid a slow start tonight. #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/dIE9bHrh0u
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) January 11, 2025
Pittsburgh is coming into the NFL Playoffs losing four straight games. Both sides of the ball have let the team down over the final month of the regular season. Quarterback Russell Wilson’s performance has led to such a poor end of the regular season. He has 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions over the team’s losing streak and has multiple games of under 200 passing yards.
Pittsburgh’s defense, one of the league’s better units over the first part of the regular season, has also fallen on tough times over their final four games. They have surrendered over 27 points per game during that span. This will be the third time the Steelers and Ravens will face each other this season. Pittsburgh won in Week 11 and Baltimore won in Week 16. Wilson has two passing touchdowns and two interceptions against the Ravens this season.
Final Thoughts
If the Pittsburgh Steelers do not start quickly, an uphill battle will get even tougher. When Baltimore gets a lead they run the ball and wear down defenses on the ground with Quarterback Lamar Jackson and Running Back Derrick Henry. Baltimore averaged 213.5 rushing yards per game in their two games against their bitter rival this season.
Pittsburgh is a 9-point underdog on the road in Baltimore, and they must start quickly in this playoff game. That is something they have struggled with in recent years. Another playoff loss will only increase the pressure exerted on Tomlin by Pittsburgh Steelers fans to produce in the postseason.
