The Pittsburgh Steelers fell 34-17 to the Baltimore Ravens in a pivotal AFC North clash at M&T Bank Stadium. A second-half interception returned for a touchdown by Baltimore and another lengthy drive late in the game sealed the Steelers’ fate in their quest for a division title.

The fourth quarter began with Pittsburgh trailing by seven. Following a drive that stalled on fourth down, the Ravens took control at their own 45-yard line. Derrick Henry broke loose for a 44-yard run to the Steelers’ 11-yard line, setting up what seemed to be another Baltimore scoring opportunity. However, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Lamar Jackson on the next play, marking the Ravens’ first red zone turnover of the season and giving the Steelers a glimmer of hope with just under 14 minutes remaining.

Pittsburgh’s momentum was short-lived. On the second play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Russell Wilson threw an interception, which was returned for a Ravens touchdown, extending Baltimore’s lead to 31-17 with just over 13 minutes left. The Steelers’ offense struggled to respond, failing to convert key third-down opportunities and punting the ball back to the Ravens.

Baltimore’s final scoring drive epitomized Pittsburgh’s defensive struggles. The Ravens maintained possession for nearly seven minutes, capped by a Justin Tucker 23-yard field goal to push the lead to 34-17. T.J. Watt and Pittsburgh’s defense, for the second consecutive week, found themselves unable to get off the field in a critical moment.

With the loss, the Steelers fall to 10-5 and must regroup quickly as they face another must-win scenario in Week 17. Pittsburgh is set to take on the 14-1 Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day, a daunting challenge against one of the NFL’s top teams.

Adding to the urgency, the Steelers now share the AFC North lead with the Ravens, intensifying the division race as the regular season nears its conclusion. A strong performance will be critical to solidifying their playoff seeding and keeping their divisional title hopes alive.