BALTIMORE — In each of the last two years, the Baltimore Ravens have been eliminated from playoff contention with late-season losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For the first time since 2014, these AFC North rivals will wrap up the season series before December. That doesn’t mean Sunday’s game is any less important to the skidding Ravens (4-4).

“You know you have eight games left, and 4-4 is not where you want to be, obviously,” cornerback Jimmy Smith said. “Doesn’t mean your season is over, it just means that every game now is so much more critical.”

Baltimore is only one game behind the first-place Steelers (4-2-1), who have won three straight since losing to the Ravens on Sept. 30. But the last thing the Ravens need now is to drop under .500 with a third successive defeat.

“If you do math, and you’ve been through these playoff things, it gets sticky if you’re 9-7,” Smith said. “It gets sticky if you’re 10-6, so you know that you really want to go in there and win 11 games, at least. Being 12-4 is really the goal.”