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The Baltimore Ravens did their part in Week 17. The team needed a win and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to stay alive in the playoff hunt. The Ravens rode Derrick Henry’s 216-yard, four-touchdown eruption to a victory over the Green Bay Packers. Then Baltimore got some help from the Cleveland Browns, who beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Browns’ Week 17 victory set up a winner-take-all showdown for the division title in the regular season finale. The 8-8 Ravens will face the 9-7 Steelers for the AFC North crown in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
And Marlon Humphrey loves the idea of the bitter rivals facing off in a decisive Week 18 matchup. “The NFL script writers, they did a good job with this one,” Humphrey joked, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
The Steelers could have avoided this situation entirely simply by beating Cleveland last Sunday. Pittsburgh had an opportunity to clinch its first division title since 2020 in Week 17. But the Steelers fell short in an ugly 13-6 loss to the Browns in which neither team cracked 300 yards of total offense.
Now the Ravens have a shot at their third straight AFC North championship. Baltimore looked all but out of the division race, entering Week 17 trailing the Steelers by two games and playing the Packers without Lamar Jackson. But the Ravens will secure the No. 4 seed and host a playoff game with a win on Sunday.
Jackson returned to a full practice on Wednesday after missing time with a back injury. While his availability for the regular season finale is still unknown, the practice participation is a good indication that he’ll suit up.
Pittsburgh won’t be at full strength when the Ravens come to town. DK Metcalf will sit out a second straight game after being suspended for an altercation with a fan. And the wideout’s loss has had a major impact on the team. The Steelers offense is struggling without Metcalf.
Both John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin have a great deal riding on Sunday’s game. But the Ravens hope to take advantage of an opportunity to sneak into the playoffs despite a down year.
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