If you’ve ever wanted a comeback for the Steelers fan that cites how many Super Bowls they’ve won, this is for you.
And by the way, that fan didn’t win any Super Bowls—the team did.
Whether you’re a Ravens fan or a Steelers fan, the fact is that with regards to football, both cities are historically great. Recently, too.
Sure world championships are the ultimate prize in football, and I’ll address that in a bit. But first, let’s look at how the Ravens and the Steelers have matched up against each other since 1996 (when the Ravens were founded).
All-time win/loss record
The first thing that jumps out when looking at the history between these two teams is that no team has played the Ravens more than the Steelers (37 times in 17 seasons). The Ravens are 15-22 all-time against the Steelers (including the playoffs). The all-time combined score: Pittsburgh 740, Baltimore 684. That’s an average score of: Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 18.5.
Of those 37 games, 22 of them have been one-score games (decided by eight points or less). There have also been three shutouts in this series (two by Baltimore, one by Pittsburgh).
Biggest hits
Here are five of the biggest hits in the rivalry, all courtesy of the Ravens:
- Bart Scott levels Big Ben
- Lewis knocks Ward out
- Lewis breaks Mendenhall’s collarbone
- Haloti Ngata breaks Ben’s nose (graphic content)
- Ngata flattens Mendenhall
There are some big hits Steelers have made against Ravens, but one in particular was considered a “cheap shot.” I speak of Joey Porter’s hit against Todd Heap in 2004. According to Porter, it sounds like he thinks he did nothing wrong.
Hall of Fame
What sets these teams apart? Anything?
As previously mentioned, championships are a huge factor. If not championships, the Hall of Fame is the biggest honor a player can achieve.
How many Hall of Famers have played for the Steelers since 1996? By my count, there have been five: Jerome Bettis, Alan Faneca, Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward and Rod Woodson (class of 2009).
What about the Ravens? 17 seasons isn’t a long time, but how many Canton-bound players played in the purple and black?
If I had to take a guess, I’d say seven: Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, Jonathan Ogden (class of 2013), Ed Reed, Shannon Sharpe, Terrell Suggs and Rod Woodson (class of 2009).
World championships
Courtesy: Larry French/Getty Images
Here we go. A Steelers fan’s go-to insult.
However, when you look at the numbers, they actually favor Baltimore.
Pittsburgh professional football teams have won six world championships (Super Bowls IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL and XLIII). Their total win-loss record in championship games is 6-2 (75 percent).
Baltimore professional football teams have won five world championships (1958 NFL Championship, 1959 NFL Championship and Super Bowls V, XXXV and XLVII). Their total win-loss record in championship games is 5-1 (83.3 percent).
Though Pittsburgh has one more world championship than Baltimore, it took them 41 years to win their first. On the flip side, it took just six years for Baltimore to win its first world title.
Beyond that, Pittsburgh has averaged a world championship every 13.2 years. Baltimore has a slightly better mark, as they’ve won it all every 11.8 years.
So there you go. Baltimore football is superior to Pittsburgh football in terms of championship winning percentage and frequency of championships.
If that’s not enough evidence to show Steelers fans that the Ravens have a better championship record, remind them that the Ravens are the only franchise in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowls without losing one.
In case you were wondering, there are 101 days until these two teams face off for the 38th time.
Get ready.
