Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers Match Player Stats: Aaron Rodgers Leads Pittsburgh to a Division-Clinching Comeback

Losing a division title on the final Sunday of the season stings, and that’s exactly the position Baltimore found itself in against its oldest rival. A back-and-forth shootout inside Acrisure Stadium had every look of a Ravens win before Pittsburgh answered one more time.

Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers match player stats from this Week 18 finale explain exactly how a 42-year-old quarterback and a missed 44-yard field goal decided the AFC North.

The Lead

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-24 on January 4, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh in front of 65,400 fans. Aaron Rodgers threw a go-ahead 26-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin III with 55 seconds remaining, and Baltimore rookie kicker Tyler Loop pushed a potential game-winning 44-yard field goal wide right as time expired, sealing Pittsburgh’s first AFC North title in five years.

Baltimore actually led for most of the fourth quarter behind a two-touchdown burst from Zay Flowers, who turned a pair of Lamar Jackson deep balls into a 24-20 advantage with just over two minutes to go. But Pittsburgh’s offense, which had controlled the clock all afternoon, needed only six plays and 65 yards to answer. The final numbers tell a story of two very different approaches: Baltimore’s explosive, big-play passing attack against Pittsburgh’s grinding, possession-heavy game plan that out-snapped the Ravens 73-48.

Match Overview Table

Core Match Statistics Overview

Team Stats Table

Explosive Passing vs Ball Control

• Baltimore averaged a staggering 13.2 yards per pass attempt, more than double Pittsburgh’s 6.3, showing how much of the Ravens’ offense came from chunk plays rather than sustained drives.
• Lamar Jackson needed only 18 attempts to produce 238 yards and three touchdowns, while Aaron Rodgers needed 47 throws to generate 294 yards and a single score.

Time of Possession and Third-Down Efficiency

• Pittsburgh’s 56% third-down conversion rate against Baltimore’s 33% is the single biggest reason the Steelers ran 25 more plays and controlled the ball for over 34 minutes.
• That possession advantage kept Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense on the sideline for long stretches, limiting Baltimore’s opportunities despite its efficiency.

Rushing Production

• Derrick Henry carried 20 times for 126 yards and a 6.3 yards-per-carry average, the best rushing output by either team’s lead back.
• Pittsburgh’s rushing attack was more committee-based, with Jaylen Warren’s 66 yards on 14 carries paired with short touchdown runs from Kenny Gainwell and Connor Heyward.

Turnover Margin

• Lamar Jackson’s lone interception was the only turnover of the entire game, a razor-thin margin that made every other statistical edge matter more.
• Pittsburgh’s clean ball security, zero giveaways against a Ravens defense that had generated pressure all season, denied Baltimore any short-field opportunities.

Period-by-Period Analysis

First Quarter

• Baltimore opened with an 85-yard scoring drive, capped by a fourth-and-3 touchdown pass from Jackson to Devontez Walker.
• Derrick Henry’s 41-yard run on the opening play set the tone for a fast Ravens start.
• Pittsburgh’s first two possessions stalled behind sacks, giving Baltimore an early rhythm advantage.

Second Quarter

• Tyler Loop’s 40-yard field goal pushed the Ravens lead to 10-0 before Pittsburgh finally found its footing.
• Chris Boswell’s 57-yard field goal, tied for one of the longest of his career, cut the deficit before halftime.
• Baltimore led 10-3 at the break despite being outgained in total yardage for the period.

Third Quarter

• Connor Heyward’s short touchdown run tied the game at 10-10, punctuating a long, clock-eating Pittsburgh drive.
• A second Boswell field goal gave the Steelers their first lead of the afternoon, 13-10.
• Baltimore’s offense went scoreless for the first time all game as Pittsburgh’s third-down efficiency began to take over.

Fourth Quarter

• Zay Flowers scored on back-to-back deep balls from Jackson, a 50-yarder and a 64-yarder, swinging the lead to Baltimore at 24-20.
• Kenny Gainwell’s short touchdown run had briefly put Pittsburgh back ahead before Flowers’ second score.
• Aaron Rodgers closed the game with a six-play, 65-yard drive finished by the 26-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin III, setting up Tyler Loop’s missed 44-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Baltimore Ravens Player Statistics

Lamar Jackson (QB): 11-of-18, 238 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT, plus 9 rushing yards on 4 carries. Jackson’s 121.5 passer rating and 13.2 yards-per-attempt average reflected an offense built almost entirely around explosive shots downfield, including a 64-yard touchdown strike.

Derrick Henry (RB): 20 carries, 126 yards, 6.3 average, long run of 41 yards. Henry provided the early spark and passed a franchise rushing milestone in the process, though he was held out of the end zone.

Zay Flowers (WR): 4 receptions, 138 yards, 2 TD, including scores of 50 and 64 yards. Flowers was the single most impactful player on the field for Baltimore, personally accounting for more than half the team’s passing output.

Devontez Walker (WR): 2 receptions, 46 yards, 1 TD on a 38-yard fourth-down score. Walker’s touchdown opened the scoring and gave Baltimore an early rhythm that carried into the second quarter.

Pittsburgh Steelers Player Statistics

Aaron Rodgers (QB): 31-of-47, 294 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, a 90.2 passer rating built on volume and precision rather than explosive plays. Rodgers’ final drive, six plays for 65 yards in under a minute, was the decisive sequence of the game.

Jaylen Warren (RB): 14 carries for 66 yards plus 5 receptions for 33 yards, giving him 99 yards from scrimmage. Warren was Pittsburgh’s most complete offensive weapon, contributing in both the run and pass game on nearly every series.

Kenny Gainwell (RB): 5 carries for 10 yards and a touchdown, plus a team-high 8 receptions for 64 yards. Gainwell’s receiving work out of the backfield was central to Pittsburgh’s ball-control approach.

Calvin Austin III (WR): 3 receptions, 55 yards, including the game-winning 26-yard touchdown catch with 55 seconds left. Austin’s late separation on a slipping Ravens defender turned a tight game into a signature Pittsburgh win.

Statistical Leaders Summary Table

Why Pittsburgh Won

Superior Third-Down Execution

Pittsburgh converted 9-of-16 third downs (56%) compared to Baltimore’s 4-of-12 (33%). That efficiency let the Steelers dictate tempo and kept their defense off the field during Baltimore’s hottest stretches.

Clean Football, Zero Turnovers

Pittsburgh didn’t lose a single fumble and didn’t throw an interception, while Baltimore’s only giveaway came at a costly moment. In a two-point game, that turnover margin was the difference.

A Backup-Turned-Feature Runner in Connor Heyward

Heyward’s short touchdown run tied the game in the third quarter, a low-usage player stepping up at the right moment while Pittsburgh’s committee backfield wore down Baltimore’s front seven over 24 carries.

Why Baltimore Lost

Explosive but Inconsistent Offense

Baltimore’s 13.2 yards-per-attempt average was electric, but the Ravens ran only 48 total plays compared to Pittsburgh’s 73. Big plays covered for a lack of sustained possessions, and eventually the Steelers’ volume caught up.

Heavy Dependence on Two Players

Zay Flowers and Derrick Henry combined for 264 of Baltimore’s 359 total yards, roughly 74% of the offense. When Pittsburgh’s final drive needed stopping, the Ravens defense simply hadn’t had enough rest.

Historical Context & Advanced Insights

Season Series and Rivalry Context

Pittsburgh now leads the all-time Steelers-Ravens series 38-27, with the two teams having met 65 times, including five postseason meetings. The rivalry has produced several one-score finishes, and this game continued that trend almost exactly.

Advanced Statistical Insights

Jackson’s touchdown-to-attempt ratio (3 touchdowns on just 18 attempts) is among the most efficient scoring rates either quarterback has posted in this rivalry, yet volume mattered more than efficiency in the final result.

Rodgers’ 47 attempts against only 2 sacks allowed shows how well Pittsburgh’s offensive line protected a veteran passer who leaned on quick, high-percentage throws rather than the deep shots Baltimore favored. Pittsburgh also won the field-position and possession battle decisively, out-snapping Baltimore by 25 plays, a gap that ultimately outweighed Baltimore’s superior yards-per-play average.

Game Implications & Key Lessons

What This Means for Pittsburgh: The win delivered the franchise’s first AFC North title in five years and a home playoff matchup against Houston. It also validated Aaron Rodgers’ veteran decision-making in high-leverage, late-game situations.

What This Means for Baltimore: The Ravens close the season at 8-9, missing the postseason. Coaches will need to address defensive third-down stops and find ways to sustain drives rather than relying on explosive plays alone.

Key Lessons:

• Explosive-play offenses can win quarters but often lose the plays battle over 60 minutes.
• Third-down efficiency remains one of the clearest predictors of time of possession and, ultimately, game outcomes.
• A clean turnover margin is often more decisive than total yardage in one-score games.
• Depth at running back (Pittsburgh’s Warren-Gainwell-Heyward trio) can wear down a defense even without one standout performer.
• Special teams execution, in this case a missed field goal, still swings close divisional games.
• Veteran quarterback poise in the final two minutes remains one of the hardest edges to replicate.

FAQs

Who won the Ravens vs Steelers game?

The Pittsburgh Steelers won 26-24, clinching the AFC North division title.

What were Lamar Jackson’s stats in this game?

Jackson completed 11-of-18 passes for 238 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, adding 9 rushing yards.

What were Aaron Rodgers’ stats in this game?

Rodgers completed 31-of-47 passes for 294 yards and 1 touchdown with no interceptions.

Who scored the game-winning touchdown?

Calvin Austin III caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers with 55 seconds left to give Pittsburgh a 26-24 lead.

Who led both teams in receiving?

Zay Flowers led Baltimore with 138 yards and 2 touchdowns on 4 catches; Kenny Gainwell led Pittsburgh with 64 receiving yards on 8 catches.

Why did Baltimore lose despite having more passing efficiency?

Pittsburgh controlled the ball for over 34 minutes thanks to a 56% third-down conversion rate, limiting Baltimore’s offensive opportunities and setting up the decisive final drive.

Conclusion

This Ravens-Steelers finale came down to possession and precision rather than raw explosiveness. Baltimore’s big-play passing attack and Derrick Henry’s rushing effort were nearly enough, but Pittsburgh’s third-down efficiency, clean ball security, and a veteran quarterback’s final drive proved the difference in a 26-24 division-clinching win.