The Pittsburgh Steelers earned the sixth-seed in the AFC bracket for the 2024 NFL playoffs as a Wild Card team after finishing the year with a 10-7 record. They received an interesting matchup in the first round against their rivals the Baltimore Ravens, who beat them out for the AFC North division title this year with their superior 12-5 record this season.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Najee Harris runs the ball during a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2024.
These two teams are obviously familiar with each other as they face off twice during each season. This makes for an intriguing game during the opening weekend of the postseason and it will be played in prime time on Saturday night in Baltimore with the division-winning Ravens hosting the game.
The Steelers brought in Russell Wilson this season, partially due to his proven history of playoff success. He has previously won a Super Bowl ring during his time with the Seattle Seahawks, with a solid 9-7 career playoff record with 28 total touchdowns during the postseason.
Pittsburgh is likely hoping that he can help give them a push in the postseason this year, especially considering they haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. They will get to see if their strategy of adding Wilson works out for them and it all starts with a challenging matchup against the Ravens in the Wild Card Round.
Pittsburgh Steelers’ NFL Playoffs prediction
Sportskeeda’s NFL Playoff Predictor expects the Pittsburgh Steelers to be defeated by the Baltimore Ravens during the Wild Card Round. This would be a disappointing result for them after a solid season and their addition of Russell Wilson to theoretically boost their chances in the playoffs.
The Ravens enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the NFL, having scored 30 or more points in each of their past four games. The Steelers' offense is in the opposite situation as they are currently struggling during their active four-game losing streak entering the playoffs. They have scored fewer than 20 points in each of their past four games, which could be the difference in this contest between two teams that split their two regular-season games this season, with each team winning at home.
Russell Wilson’s struggles entering 2024 NFL Playoffs
When Russell Wilson took over for Justin Fields during the 2024 NFL season, he got off to a hot start. He totaled seven touchdowns across his first three games and helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to a four-game winning streak. The Steelers were also averaging 27 points per game during this stretch, so his contributions were a major factor towards their offensive production and overall success.
Things have gone downhill for him since then, losing five of his past seven games and throwing for just one total touchdown pass across the final two weeks of the season. In his two games against the Baltimore Ravens this year, he threw two interceptions and also submitted a fumble. All of this suggests that the Steelers may struggle during the Wild Card Round against the red-hot Ravens, especially considering their lack of offensive production in recent weeks.
What if the Steelers defeat the Ravens in the Wild Card Round?
One factor that should give the Steelers confidence in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs against the Ravens is that they have traditionally found success when facing off with Lamar Jackson. The two-time NFL MVP, and of the favorites to win the award a third time this year, has thrown a concerning nine interceptions in his past six games against this opponent.
The Steelers also split their 2024 NFL season series with the Ravens, so despite recent trends suggesting that Baltimore should come out on top, certain variables are present that could work in Pittsburgh’s favor. If their defense can put on another solid performance, and Russell Wilson’s lengthy playoff experience plays a role, an upset is surely possible.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith forcing a fumble on Lamar Jackson in 2024.
If the Steelers were to find their way to a victory, they would then advance to the Divisional Round where they would again have to go on the road for another playoff game. Due to them being the sixth-seed this year, they would likely be forced to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs, unless the Denver Broncos miraculously upset the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
The Chiefs have won each of the past two Super Bowls and are seeking to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat. Patrick Mahomes also won 15 of his 16 starts this season and has an incredible 11-3 playoff record during his career. This means that even if the Steelers were able to upset the Ravens this week, it’s highly unlikely that they would be in line to go on a deep postseason run this year.
