Steelers 'Weren't Physical Enough' to Stop Ravens' Ground Game

The Baltimore Ravens dominated their opponent on the ground in the Wild Card Round.

Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs to score a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

If there was one takeaway from the Baltimore Ravens' 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round, it would be how utterly dominant their rushing attack looked.

Sure, Baltimore's ground game is always great, and it even finished as the No. 1 rushing offense in the regular season. Even by the Ravens' high standards, though, this was an absolute clinic.

The Ravens racked up 299 yards on the night, a new franchise record for a postseason game. Derrick Henry was the star of the show with 186 yards and two touchdowns on 7.2 yards per carry, while Lamar Jackson helped open things up with 81 yards on 5.4 yards per attempt.

Pittsburgh finished the regular season as the league's No. 6 rushing defense, so it's no surprise that this performance didn't sit well with the players.

"Having 300 yards rushing on you is worse than having 300 yards passing," safety DeShon Elliott told reporters post-game. "They definitely put belt to butt today."

Of course, the run game would not have enjoyed such success without some excellent blocking. The offensive line and other blockers opened up some huge holes for Henry and co. to run through, and just generally bullied Steelers defenders throughout the night.

"We just weren't physical enough," linebacker Alex Highsmith said. "We didn't work off enough blocks. We didn't make enough tackles, and you know that's what it is all about. To stop the run, you have to be physical. You have to make tackles and didn't do that enough tonight."

The Steelers now end the season on a five- game losing streak, including a two-score loss to their arch rivals in the postseason. As Baltimore looks for a Super Bowl title, Pittsburgh enters the offseason on a very sour note.

"Congratulations to the Ravens. They were the better group today. That was obvious," head coach Mike Tomlin said. "The X factor was Lamar [Jackson]'s unique talents. It seems like every time we got him behind the sticks, he made up for it, or we got him in a possession down circumstance, and he extended and won those circumstances. We never really found a fluid answer all day, obviously."

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Kickoff Time for Ravens vs. Bills Playoff Game Revealed
• Ravens to Face Bills in Divisional Round
• Ravens' Roquan Smith Roasts Former Teammate Patrick Queen
• Ravens' Lamar Jackson Shares Epic Comparison for Derrick Henry
• Ravens Might Pull Off a Super Bowl