BALTIMORE — The Pittsburgh Steelers came here with a chance to win the AFC North championship, but ignored the warning whistle from one of the Charm City’s most memorable TV personalities.

You’re coming to the king, you best not miss it.

A weakened defense couldn’t stop the one-two punch of Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, and Russell Wilson hit a crucial pick-six as the defending champion Baltimore Ravens won 34-17 in front of 71,313 at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

It was a rare defeat in a rivalry that usually goes to the finish, with the last nine games decided by seven points or fewer. The Steelers had won eight of those games, including four in a row here.

Instead, the Steelers (10-5) dropped their second straight game and had a chance to clinch the division title for the first time since 2020. They still hold the tiebreaker lead over the Ravens (10-5), but will host the Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) on Christmas Day at Acrisure Stadium.

Henry became the second player to rush for more than 100 yards against the Steelers this season, rushing for 162 yards on 24 carries – an average of 6.8 yards per pop. The only other person to do so was Tyrone Tracy Jr. of the New York Giants, who ran for 145 yards in a 26-18 loss on Oct. 28.

Jackson entered the game as a starter against the Steelers with a 1-4 record, but completed 15 of 23 pass attempts for 207 yards and three touchdowns and connected with Zay Flowers five times for 100 yards against a Steelers secondary that was without its two best Cornerbacks came along.

The Steelers played without four starters: strong safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring), cornerback Donte Jackson (back), defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) and wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring). To make matters worse, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. left the game in the first quarter with a calf injury and an attempt to return was aborted.

The Ravens converted a fumble on Desmond King’s punt return into favorable field position when Chris Board recovered it at the Steelers’ 41. Henry ripped off runs of 11, 13 and 9 yards to set up Lamar Jackson’s 9-yard touchdown pass to opener Isaiah Lively for a 7-0 lead at 5:52 of the first quarter.

The Steelers responded with a 10-play, 73-yard scoring drive in which Russell Wilson hit Skowronek with passes of 17 and 8 yards and Van Jefferson hit a 21-yarder for a 1-yard touchdown pass to Tight End MyCole Pruitt assisted to tie the game at 7-7 four seconds into the second quarter.

After Jordan Stout punted, the Steelers turned to their running game and scored 11-yard gains from Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. But when Wilson rolled to his right and saw an open field, he sprinted toward the end zone before being undercut by Ravens free safety Ar’Darius Washington, who forced a fumble that was recovered by Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy was brought back on the Baltimore 4 for a turnover.

The Ravens gained 96 yards in eight plays as Jackson picked apart the Steelers’ defense with passes of 19 and 25 yards before hitting Rashod Bateman in the left corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown and a 14-7 Baltimore lead found 7:28 of the second quarter.

Justin Tucker converted a 51-yard field goal with 1:43 left in the half to give the Ravens a 17-7 lead, but Wilson led a rushing offense downfield, setting up Chris’ 51-yard throw Boswell and reduced it to 17:1. 10 as time expired in the first half.

The Steelers wasted no time in going for the jugular early in the second half when Wilson threw a 44-yard pass down the visiting sideline to Calvin Austin III on the first play of the game. On third and sixth, they connected again for a 16-yard gain. The Steelers then brought Cordarrelle Patterson over outside linebacker Malik Harrison for a corner fade to tie the score at 17-17 at 5:14 of the third quarter.

But Baltimore responded with a 60-yard scoring drive that included three plays of 14 yards or more and was capped by Jackson’s 7-yard scoring pass to tight end Mark Andrews for a 24-17 lead. It was Jackson’s 37th touchdown pass of the season, a new Ravens record.

After punting on fourth-and-7 in the fourth quarter in Philadelphia last week, the Steelers went for fourth-and-6 at the Baltimore 45. Austin ran a deep post, but Wilson’s pass was subdued, giving the Ravens the ball on a turnover on downs.

Henry immediately jeopardized that decision by stopping a 44-yard run down the home line to the Pittsburgh 11. But Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Jackson’s pass on the next play, making his first interception since the 2022 season finale.

The Steelers’ fate was short-lived. Wilson threw a pick-six while executing a play-action rollout to right and threw it to Pruitt on the run, but cornerback Marlon Humphrey intercepted the pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown and a 31-17 lead of the Ravens with 13:06 left.

Baltimore gained 86 yards on 11 plays in a drive that lasted 6:09 before settling for a 23-yard field goal from Tucker to secure a 17-point lead.