With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss and the Baltimore Ravens’ win, the AFC North remains very much in play. The Steelers still control their destiny, and will do so whether they win or loss on Saturday. But this rematch between the Steelers and Ravens suddenly means a whole lot more.
With the Steelers now with just a one-game advantage, and three games to go, they do have to win two more games if the Ravens were to win out. That would make the Christmas Day game against the Chiefs a must-win, which is a daunting assignment. But if the Steelers simply beat the Ravens, they win the AFC North. And Baltimore is ready to defend its divisional title.
“It’s gonna be a hostile environment”, Ravens LB Roquan Smith said of facing the Steelers in Pittsburgh, via Jamison Hensley. “We know what’s on the line. It’s the division title. … You’re willing to put everything on the line for that. I know myself, personally, I’m ready to go out on my shield one way or another, and I know a lot of the guys in the locker room feel the same exact way. That’s what it’s gonna be. Check your manhood, do your job”.
The Ravens have only won the AFC North three times under Lamar Jackson, most recently last season. In 2023, the Ravens, Steelers, and Browns all advanced to the postseason, the Bengals also with a winning record. Only the Ravens, however, made it beyond the first round. In fact, they had a first-round bye, and reached the conference finals.
The AFC North has only been represented in the Super Bowl once since 2013, however. The Bengals lost to the Rams a few years ago. The Ravens won it all in 2012, with the Steelers doing so in 2008 and reappearing in 2010. The Steelers also won in 2005, the first championship for the newly-formed AFC North, coming into existence in 2002.
Since the birth of the AFC North, the Ravens have won the division seven times, the Steelers nine times. The Bengals have also won six times, and the Browns, being the Browns, of course, have never won. Let us all now please take a moment to laugh at the Cleveland Browns. Thank you.
It was just last week that the Steelers officially eliminated the Browns, and in doing so strengthened their lead over the Ravens for the AFC North crown. Had they beaten the Eagles yesterday, the Steelers would have given themselves much more flexibility. They would then have only needed to beat either the Ravens or the Bengals to secure the title. Now, they must beat the Ravens, or, failing that, beat both the Chiefs and the Bengals. Or else they must count on the Ravens losing at least one additional game.
As is so often the case, the Steelers and Ravens may be playing for the division in the season finale. Although they won’t be playing against each other, the Steelers will face the Bengals, the Ravens the Browns. Clearly, the Steelers have the bigger challenge, though they’ve already beaten Cincinnati. The simpler route is simply to lock up the division on Saturday by pantsing the Ravens at the river’s edge.
