Mike Tomlin thinks Steelers are 'back in the AFC North kitchen' originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Ravens and Steelers are gearing up for Sunday's massive matchup, which should be the latest in a long line of epic clashes in the NFL's most physical rivalry.
The two teams have squared off in plenty of huge games over the years, and the 6-0 Steelers coming to visit the 5-1 Ravens looks like another great one. There have been been few seasons in the last decade in which the two Pittsburgh-Baltimore matchups didn't end up determining the AFC North champions, though last year the rivalry took a brief hiatus thanks to Ben Roethlisberger's injury and Lamar Jackson's MVP campaign.
Now, with both teams looking like true Super Bowl contenders, the rivalry - if it ever really left - is back. And Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin knows it.
“We’re back in the kitchen that is AFC North football,” Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday at his weekly news conference.
Tomlin is excited that the Steelers keep playing in meaningful games. This is the third straight week his team has been in one of the NFL's marquee matchups of the weekend. And the intensity of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry only adds to what would already be a huge game based on records alone.
“You should anticipate it will be a rough and tumble game because history tells you that,” Tomlin said. “And this year is the same.”
The Ravens and Steelers seemingly don't know any other way than to play in "rough and tumble" games, so it shouldn't surprise anyone if Week 8 is another violent affair.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is 14-13 in his career against the Steelers, and this week's game could go either way. The battle for the AFC North kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday.
