The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are going to get the showcase they deserve when they play in the Week 18 regular season finale with the AFC North Division title on the line, tabbing them for the Sunday Night Football slot on NBC/Peacock.
Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 4, in Baltimore.
The Ravens lost the first game between the 2 teams, 27-20, in Week 14 in Pittsburgh
Baltimore took care of business with a 41-24 in over the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 then got some massive help from another AFC North foe to set up the “Winner Take All” game in Week 18.
Browns Pull Off Upset to Help Ravens
In order to get what seemed like an improbably chance to win the AFC North, the biggest hurdle for the Ravens after beating the Packers was for the Cleveland Browns to upset the Steelers in Week 17 — a 13-6 win behind Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“SHEDEUR SANDERS, MYLES GARRETT AND THE BROWNS DELIVER AND KEEPS THE RAVENS SEASON ALIVE,” Locked on Ravens podcast host Kevin Oestricher wrote on X.
It’s an incredible opportunity for the Ravens, who started the season as Super Bowl contenders then stumbled to a 1-5 start before scrapping in the second half of the season, including 5 consecutive wins to improve to 6-5. They’re now 8-8 overall.
“No surprise. The Ravens and Steelers will play Sunday Night in Pittsburgh with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m,” The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec wrote on X. “Winner takes the AFC North and the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. The loser’s season is over.”
“Ravens win: we send the Steelers Home for the season,” Ravens Flock’s Z Farm wrote on X. “Ravens lose: Harbaugh is fired.”
“Ravens fans: Fire Harbaugh! Steelers fans: Fire Tomlin!” former NFL broadcaster Mark Viviano wrote on X. “And one of them will host a playoff game in 2 weeks The NFL is a hot mess!”
Lamar Jackson No Guarantee to Play in Week 18
The Ravens defeated the Packers without 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, who sat out with a back contusion suffered late in a Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots.
Tyler Huntley started in place of Jackson, but wasn’t the reason the Ravens won.
That would be NFL All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, who ran for 216 yards and 4 touchdowns on 36 carries — a record for most rushing yards by an opponent at Lambeau Field.
Still, there’s no guarantee the Ravens will get Jackson back in Week 18. That might mean another large dose of Henry, who is just one of 9 players in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season.
Henry also became the first NFL player to have 4 rushing touchdowns in a single game with 2 different teams — he also did it while playing for the Tennessee Titans.
“Many legends have walked Green Bay’s hallowed visiting tunnel,” Baltimore Ravens Communications wrote on its official X account with a picture of Henry attached. “This one produced the most rushing yards (216) ever by an opposing player at Lambeau Field.”
“If the Steelers can’t manage to beat the Browns, they probably don’t deserve to be in the playoffs anyway…. ” Steelers reporter Chris Mack wrote on X before the Week 17 games. “… but if the Ravens remember to use Derrick Henry in a game that matters next weekend, they’ll be in serious trouble.”
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