Oakland Raiders vs Pittsburgh Steelers: Rebuilt rivalry

Nov 8, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Oakland Raiders linebacker Aldon Smith (99) celebrates a sack as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) lays injured on the ground during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 38-35. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Physicality

The defenses were never able to consistently stop the others’ offense but they could hit them very hard. Part of why football fans have liked to watch this rivalry is because of the hitting involved in it. When you have two teams trying to prove who’s tougher and win at the same time, that’s what you get.

During the time the Raiders fell off, the Baltimore Ravens took the Raiders spot to challenge the Steelers. But now, the Raiders are trying to prove they’re back after proving they were more physical than the New York Jets. So what those that were watching Sunday saw was the most physical football game of the 2015 season.

There were several players for both teams that went out and came back in the game due to injuries. For the Raiders, center Rodney Hudson (sprained ankle) and running back Latavius Murray (concussion) were the casualties. The Steelers had the biggest casualty with Roethlisberger going out with a mid-foot sprain.

Next: The line of scrimmage