A brief history of the Steelers three postseason wins over the Baltimore Ravens

January 20, 2002, Heinz Field

The defending Super Bowl champions came back to the newly openly Heinz Field to take on the top-seeded Steelers, who's defense had continued the momentum it created during a 9-7 campaign in 1999.

And they carried that momentum all over the Ravens, notching four takeaways and allowing just 150 total yards in a 27-10 rout that didn't even truly reflect how one-sided the game was. Pittsburgh had over 40 minutes of possession, and allowed Baltimore one third down conversion in 12 attempts. Baltimore's lone touchdown came on an 88-yard punt return from Jermaine Lewis.

The win exacted some form of revenge for the Steelers, who had a winning stream interrupted earlier in the season on Kris Brown's three missed field goals. The Steelers had established themselves over the defending champs as the top team in the AFC North, and this playoff beatdown removed any doubt. The Steelers would go on to host second-seeded New England, and get beat on special teams and a lack of running game the following week in the AFC Championship game.

January 18, 2009, Heinz Field

After two epic games in the regular season, both won by the Steelers, the Ravens battled their way through the playoffs with a rookie quarterback - Joe Flacco - and to the grass defended by the AFC's second-seeded team. Baltimore knocked off the top-seeded Titans in the divisional round, setting up the match-up fans wanted to see.

This is probably the best football game I've ever seen. It's without a doubt the most violent football game I've ever seen. Both teams came at each other for four quarters, and it started that way from the first snap.

Momentum shifted back and forth, with highs and lows coming from both sides. The Steelers saw all the hopes and dreams of their former second round pick Limas Sweed flash for a brief instant, as he came wide open down the left sideline, only to fail to make the catch in what would have been a touchdown.

Then we saw Sweed take his anger out on Ravens defensive back Corey Ivy after a Heath Miller reception. Sweed's block became almost as much of a highlight in this game as his drop.

In the end, though, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu sealed legendary status with the team with a 40-yard interception return touchdown to seal a 23-14 win and advance to the Super Bowl for the second time in four seasons. They would go on to take that title in an equally thrilling (although less violent) win over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.

January 15, 2011, Heinz Field

The Steelers erased a 21-7 halftime deficit behind the strength of outside linebacker James Harrison, who had three second half sacks, including a forced fumble, in a statistically bizarre game that was highly defensive despite the 31-24 score. Terrell Suggs also had three sacks, as the Steelers' six sacks just topped the Ravens' five.

The Steelers outscored the Ravens 24-3 in the second half, highlighted by the game's deciding touchdown, a 2-yard run by Rashard Mendenhall. That score was set up by a 58-yard catch (a Heave-n-Pray?) by Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown on a 3rd-and-19 play, who secured the ball to his helmet as he stayed in bounds.

The Steelers' would get one last stop, as Ravens receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh would drop a fourth down pass, allowing the Steelers to kneel out the clock and advance to the AFC Championship game - a win over the New York Jets. They would fall to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV.

January 3, 2015, Heinz Field

The fourth playoff meeting between the two teams has all the makings of another classic battle between these two teams. The possible absence of running back Le'Veon Bell weighs over the Steelers, but with an improving defensive team, and an offense that still has plenty of passing firepower, look for yet another Ravens vs. Steelers game full of highlights and memorable big plays.