For the first time since Week 7, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t exiting a week leading the AFC North. Falling to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day with the Baltimore Ravens rolling the Houston Texans later that day, the Ravens enter the final week of the regular season in first place and firm control of the division. The Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals were big winners of the week, the latter securing an overtime victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday in what was a must-win game. The Cleveland Browns remain at the bottom, uncompetitive in a 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
AFC North Standings (Week 17)
1. Baltimore Ravens: 11-5
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6
3. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
4. Cleveland Browns: 3-13
The Steelers kicked off Week 17 with a rare Christmas game. It wasn’t a holiday to remember. Dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs 29-10, Pittsburgh was again plagued by turnovers and defensive miscommunication. The Chiefs bookended their win by scoring 13 points in the first and fourth quarters, pulling away from the Steelers after Pittsburgh trailed 16-10 late in the third quarter.
Mahomes finished the day with three touchdown passes as he and Kansas City’s offense had one of their best performances of the season. Pittsburgh’s defense had little answer for the Chiefs’ quick passing game. Mahomes routinely got the ball out on time, preventing the Steelers’ rush from getting home. Mahomes wasn’t sacked and only hit twice.
The Steelers’ offense missed opportunities for points. QB Russell Wilson was picked in the end zone partially due to WR George Pickens failing to run the correct route that allowed S Justin Reid to step in front of Wilson’s throw. That came one play after a touchdown by RB Jaylen Warren was wiped out by a holding penalty on TE Darnell Washington. A fumble from TE Pat Freiermuth in the second half set the Chiefs up with a short field.
In the following game, Baltimore easily dispatched Houston 31-2. Pitching a defensive shutout where the Texans’ only points came off a safety tackling RB Derrick Henry in the end zone, the Ravens controlled the game wire-to-wire. QB Lamar Jackson didn’t have to do much, throwing just 15 times for two touchdowns before being rested in the second half. Jackson and Henry were potent on the ground, combining for over 220 yards on the ground with two scores. TE Mark Andrews produced the biggest play in the air with a 67-yard catch off an extended Jackson scramble drill.
The Texans’ offense couldn’t muster anything against a vastly improved Ravens’ defense. QB C.J. Stroud threw for just 185-yards on 31 attempts, intercepted once and sacked five times. Houston went just 4-of-15 on third down and registered only 10 first downs.
With the Ravens’ win and Steelers’ loss, Baltimore officially leads the AFC North at 11-5. Pittsburgh sits at 10-6. A Ravens’ win in Week 18 clinches the division. The Steelers can take it back by beating the Bengals in Week 18 and a Ravens’ loss.
Once 4-8, the Bengals have stormed back into the playoff picture. They won in wonky fashion against the Denver Broncos Saturday night, 30-24 in overtime. A sluggish first-half gave way to an explosive final 40 minutes. Back-and-forth, the two sides traded touchdowns. It appeared the Bengals would win in the final 90 seconds, QB Joe Burrow sneaking over the goal line to lead 24-17 late in the game. But Broncos’ rookie QB Bo Nix led a game-tying drive, hitting WR Marvin Mims with less than 10 seconds to play to tie the game.
In overtime, the Bengals and Broncos exchanged punts before Cincinnati finished the game off. Burrow hit WR Tee Higgins for his third touchdown of the game.
With the win, the Bengals need to beat the Steelers in Week 18, have the Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Dolphins’ loss to clinch the final Wild Card spot.
The Browns traded field goals through the first 20 minutes against the Dolphins. Both teams played with backup quarterbacks. Cleveland started second-year Dorian Thompson-Robinson while Miami went with Tyler Huntley. Miami took a late first-half lead on K Jason Sanders’ second boot of the game to go up 6-3 into the break.
Huntley was the first to find the end zone, using his mobility to scramble for a 13-yard touchdown on their first drive of the third quarter.
Huntley didn’t often air it out but was efficient throughout the game. Thompson-Robinson was not, at one point completing only 13-of-30 passes for 92-yards. Down 13-3, a promising Browns’ drive stalled out on the goal line, the Dolphins getting a key fourth-and-goal stop.
Miami bled clock in the fourth quarter as the Browns again turned it over on downs in their own territory. The Dolphins salted the game away thanks to a Huntley touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith late in the fourth quarter, making the score 20-3.
For the final week of the regular season, the Steelers will host the Bengals. The Ravens will host the Browns. And we’ll find out if two or three AFC North teams make the playoffs.
