On Sunday in Cleveland, the Pittsburgh Steelers had everything laid out in front of them.
Beat a 3–12 Browns team starting a rookie quarterback behind a battered offensive line, and the AFC North was theirs. They could have locked up a home playoff game, eliminated Baltimore from postseason contention, and made Week 18 completely meaningless.
Instead, they walked off the field with a 13–6 loss that somehow felt both shocking and painfully familiar.
The defense did more than enough to win. They forced turnovers, controlled field position, and held Cleveland to just 13 points. But Pittsburgh’s offense was a complete disaster, managing only six points despite being handed multiple short fields and extra possessions. It was the kind of game Steelers fans have seen far too often — the annual “Tomlin Special,” where Pittsburgh finds a way to stumble against a team they should handle with ease.
Now, what should have been a celebration has turned into a winner-take-all showdown with the Ravens on Sunday night.
And things aren’t looking good.
Déjà Vu All Over Again
The collapse in Cleveland wasn’t just a bad loss — it reopened some uncomfortable scars. Last season, Pittsburgh finished 2024 on a four-game losing streak and limped into the playoffs before being bounced in the first round by Baltimore. The offense went cold, the momentum vanished, and the season ended with more questions than answers.
Sound familiar?
The Steelers opened 2025 at 4–1, slipped to 6–6, rattled off three straight wins, and now find themselves right back in uncertainty after laying an egg against one of the league’s worst teams. It has been a streaky, uneven first season in Pittsburgh for Aaron Rodgers, and Sunday’s performance was easily his worst.
“I have full confidence we’ll go home and win next week,” he said postgame. “We’ve handled adversity well. When we had to play our best ball we did, other than today.”
But confidence alone doesn’t fix what’s coming.
Baltimore Is a Much Bigger Problem
The Steelers already needed a fortunate break to beat the Ravens earlier this season, escaping thanks to an overturned Isaiah Likely touchdown late in the game. Now they’ll face a Baltimore team that looks far more dangerous.
Derrick Henry is coming off a 200-plus yard, multi-touchdown performance. Lamar Jackson could be back under center. And Pittsburgh’s offense may be in worse shape than it was Sunday.
Wide receiver DK Metcalf will miss the game as he finishes his suspension. Calvin Austin remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Tight end Darnell Washington broke his arm in Cleveland. Even if Rodgers plays better, he may be doing it with a severely shorthanded group.
That’s not exactly the formula you want heading into a must-win rivalry game.
A Familiar Crossroads
Pittsburgh had a chance to make Week 18 meaningless. They had a chance to avoid this exact scenario. They had a chance to prove that this year’s team was different.
Instead, they lost to a 3–12 Browns team starting a rookie quarterback, scored just six points, and now must beat Baltimore again to save their season.
Maybe they rise to the moment. Maybe Rodgers finds one more great performance. Maybe the defense drags them across the finish line.
But after another collapse in Cleveland — and with injuries piling up — it’s hard to shake the feeling that this is starting to look eerily similar to how things unraveled a year ago.
And this time, the margin for error is gone.