Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers Analysis
Ryan Clark: Ravens-Steelers ‘Ain’t No Fricking Rivalry’
It takes a lot for a former Pittsburgh Steelers player to admit defeat, especially against the Baltimore Ravens.
Former hard-nosed Steelers safety and current ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark offered quite the honest assessment of Saturday night’s AFC Wild Card playoff game on the road against the Ravens.
“This Ain’t no fricking rivalry,” Clark posted on a X shortly after Derrick Henry’s 44-yard touchdown scamper that made it a 28-7 game in his side’s favor. “This is big bro versus lil bro… they have their hand on our forehead & the ball over their head. We just leaning against their hand waving our hands like dummies!! Hold that, “best rivalry in football” talk til next year. Ravens Dominating”
On the following series, the Steelers showed signs of life with a 36-yard touchdown connection between Russell Wilson and George Pickens. They then made a stop against the Lamar Jackson-led offense, getting the offense back on the field.
Pittsburgh didn’t help itself with a slow start, going scoreless in the first quarter of a playoff game once again — it’s become an expected theme in the postseason. But, it still shows the extent of the performance that Clark, a Steeler through and through, would credit a hated arch rival.
To Clark’s point, this playoff clash doesn’t resemble those between the two gritty franchises during the late 2000s. In one of those games, the 2008 AFC Championship game at then-Heinz Field, Clark crushed Ravens running back Willis McGahee, knocking both out.
Surely, that Steelers defense would’ve been much tougher against Jackson and Henry, who have tormented Pittsburgh on the ground.
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