If you know anything about the Steelers-Ravens rivalry, the way Sunday night's showdown for the AFC North championship shouldn't have come as a surprise.
The Steelers came out on top, 26-24, when a Ravens field goal attempt in the final seconds went wide right, and Acrisure Stadium erupted.
The win captured the North title for the Steelers and sends them into the postseason, where they will host the Houston Texans on Monday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m.
"It's another one in the history of this series," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "It's an honor to be a part of this rivalry with that group. Got a lot of respect for them. Obviously, it was a 60-minute football game.
"I'm just happy for those guys in that locker room. They fought and fought and fought, not only tonight but throughout the entire journey, so we move forward. I'm thankful for that.
"Excited about what lies ahead. Not only the game next week, but the work in front of it because that's how we get there and that's how we engineer victory.
"Guys had a great week this week, and I think they put that on display. We supported one another. Certainly wasn't easy. Defense supported offense when offense needed to be supported. Offense supported defense when defense needed to be supported. That's team.
"We are AFC North champions, and that sounds good and it feels good. But we didn't come here for that. We came here for what lies ahead, and so excited about that."
The defense set out to stop running back Derrick Henry, and while he had 126 yards on 20 carries, the majority of it came in the first half when he has 112 yards. He was held to just 14 yards in the second half.
"The guys just played hard. They did," said Tomlin. "I didn't feel like he was running wild in the first half, although his numbers said that he was. I think the two times we saw him this year we worked hard to make him earn it. He's a special player. They're a special group in terms of what they do around him in that phase of the game, so you're not going to be able to shut them down all the time, but I thought we were game for the fight for sure."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers drove the Steelers on two fourth quarter touchdown drives, one for 60 yards and the other 65 yards, to put the Steelers in position for the win.
"I've admired him from afar for a long time," said Tomlin. "Good to do it with him. But, again, as I've said multiple times here in recent weeks, this was the vision in the spring when we pursued him. That's why you do business with a 41, 42-year-old guy. Been-there, done-that guy with a resume like his. He's not only capable, he thrives in it."
As Coach Mike Tomlin said, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a 'been-there, done-that guy.'
But it's also amazing when you see him get the job done.
Rodgers completed 31 of 47 passes for 294 yards and one touchdown pass, but it was his calm persona that led the Steelers on two fourth quarter touchdown drives to secure the win.
"That's what you want," said Rodgers. "You want the ball in your hands with 2:20 left and you get a touchdown. That's exactly what you want. I was calm all day long with the gravity of the game and knowing what was in store for us.
"But I was confident that I was going to play a good game and that I could kind of be the magnetic force out there to keep guys confident and calm. Even in the two-minute, we're good. We're going to go down and score, and don't worry about it, boys.
"That's part of it being the old guy, having a lot of gray in your beard. They expect things from you, and it's nice to be able to deliver in moments like that."
And he delivered, as his teammates knew he would.
It's part of an overall belief that the team has in Rodgers, and the rest of the leadership.
"I think there is a lot of belief in the leadership of the team," said Rodgers. "I think an important part of a leadership role is being as even keel as possible and always believing you got a chance.
"But it takes moments like this. Back in 2010 (Green Bay) we're 9-6 six playing Chicago last game of the year and we eked out a close one in the fourth quarter, 10-3.
"It gave us a little bit of belief, and then we went on a run where we were underdogs I believe the entire playoffs. We were underdogs tonight at home against our division rival. It's going to give us some belief.
"Now we're playing the Texans. They're coming off nine in a row, I think. Who knows if they'll make us an underdog again at home, but the belief level in the locker room after a win like this is exponentially greater, which is what you want to have going into next week.
"And then obviously we get DK (Metcalf) back."
With Metcalf out, multiple players stepped up against the Ravens, including Calvin Austin III, who scored the game-winning touchdown on a 26-yard reception after missing the Browns game a week earlier with a hamstring injury.
"It was good to have Cal back," said Rodgers. "Cal is a great player. He's one of the sweetest guys on the team and just a guy who really wants to do right all the time.
"I was saying earlier, trying to get him to give me some confidence on what he wanted on the backside, and he finally -- on that one he did it again. He wouldn't kind of put a stamp on something, so I said all right, hitch and go. He ran a good route.
"There were other plays he made that were instinctive and some show up in the stat box and some don't, but really proud of all our guys and excited to get DK back."
Linebacker T.J. Watt returned to the field against the Ravens after missing the previous three games with his lung issue.
And he came up big with the game's only interception on a deflection.
"Just trying to rush," said Watt. "Any time you play hard, the ball finds you and you just make plays. Any time you feel like you need to make a play you just got to go as hard as you possibly can, as fast as you can.
"Even though I wasn't able to get to the quarterback the ball just popped up and I was able to make the play.
"I think it was Cam (Heyward) or Keeanu (Benton) who made the pass, man, and that's what started it all."
Watt said he felt good during the game, with the missed time apparently not an issue.
"Feel really good," said Watt. "See how I feel the next couple of days. They say we're playing Monday, so we get an extra day. Honestly, I am really pleased with how I felt.
"Hats off to the training staff, strength staff for getting me ready to go. Felt great out there."
What else had him feeling great was the thrill of the 't-shirt and hat' game for the division.
But he wants more.
"Feels awesome," said Watt. "Winning is tough in this league. It's so tough. You put so much work into it. Nine seasons. To win it three times it let's you know how rare it is and how much you need to appreciate it.
"But with that comes not getting a win in the playoffs. So, we're not just here to take part, man. We want to come in here and we want to win games."
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