Week 17 is one the Pittsburgh Steelers would like to forget. Unfortunately for them, that may not be possible if they fail to beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18.
Pittsburgh suffered a frustrating 13-6 loss to the AFC North’s fourth-place Cleveland Browns, a game that quickly turned ugly on both sides of the ball. Despite what many believed was a missed pass interference call on Browns cornerback Denzel Ward against wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the final play, the Steelers simply did not play well enough to win, scoring a season-low six points.
“It was definitely interference,” Aaron Rodgers said when asked about the play. “I’ll have to look at the film on second and third down.”
Rodgers and the Steelers will hopefully be looking at far more than just that final snap as they prepare for a pivotal Week 18 showdown with the Ravens. The matchup will determine the AFC North champion and could also have major implications for the futures of both head coaches involved.
Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh Futures Potentially On the Line
By the time the Steelers and Ravens wrap up Sunday Night Football, an AFC North champion will be crowned and headed to the playoffs. According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, however, the aftermath of Week 18 could extend beyond the standings.
While on the December 29th episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schefter suggested there is a “wide range of outcomes” when it comes to the futures of Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, with the possibility that the losing coach could choose to walk away.
“They will have a big say,” Schefter said. “One of them may go in there and say, ‘It’s been a great run. Might be time to go try something else.’ Whether that’s TV or another job somewhere else, those things are possible. They’re within the realm of possibility for the wide range of outcomes after Week 18.”
Both Tomlin and Harbaugh have faced increased scrutiny this season as expectations continue to outweigh results. While Tomlin has famously never posted a losing season across 19 years, the Steelers have reached the playoffs just four times over the last seven seasons, losing each time in the wild-card round.
Harbaugh, meanwhile, has been in Baltimore for 18 seasons, and despite sustained regular-season success, postseason frustration has lingered in recent years. For some around the league, a change of scenery for both coaches may be seen as a natural next step rather than a failure.
The Steelers Losing to the Ravens In Week 18 Would Be Catastrophic
Few teams have benefited from better timing within their division this season than Pittsburgh. The Cincinnati Bengals lost Joe Burrow for most of the year, the Ravens stumbled out to a 1-5 start, and the Browns remained, well… the Browns.
The Steelers also pushed their chips to the middle of the table. They acquired future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was looking to rebound after two lost seasons with the New York Jets. Pittsburgh added DK Metcalf, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith via trades and later picked up Adam Thielen, creating what looked like a roster built to win now.
Everything appeared to be falling into place when the Steelers beat the Ravens in Week 14, then followed it up with wins over the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. But the Week 17 loss to Cleveland, especially in the fashion it unfolded, abruptly halted that momentum.
If Pittsburgh were to miss the playoffs altogether by losing the regular-season finale, the reaction would be harsh. The boos for Tomlin would likely be louder than they were after the 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, and the conversation surrounding the franchise’s direction would reach a boiling point.
Week 18 is no longer just about a division title. For the Steelers, it may be about everything that comes next.
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