by Game of the week
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
The battle for the AFC North is nearing its climax as two bitter rivals fight for sacred home-field advantage in the playoffs. If the Pittsburgh Steelers continue their winning streak and win in Baltimore for a fifth straight year, the division will be theirs, while the Ravens can secure a playoff spot with a win and see a path to the top of the division if Mike Tomlin’s team Loses against the Chiefs or The Bengals end the season.
Both teams will feel like they have an advantage over the other, as the Ravens have flattered to deceive at times (see: losses to Raiders and Browns) while the Steelers have struggled to move the ball without George Pickens. John Harbaugh’s team has a total offense that rivals Buffalo and Detroit in efficiency and explosiveness. The incredible tandem of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry can trouble even the best defenses on their day. But will the stars align? Pittsburgh’s brutal pass rush will still be confident they can bring out the evil in Baltimore.
What the Steelers need to do to win: Pickens needs to get back into the lineup. However, the star receiver still has to return to practice, so the Steelers will have to lean on the running game while not losing confidence in Wilson’s strong passing threat despite his significant absence. Last week’s box score suggested Wilson was in serious trouble, but his receivers were locked in tight coverage all day by a pass defense that is allowing 227 yards per game, the second fewest in the NFL. The Ravens now have the second most players with 323. The offensive plan must take advantage of Wilson’s deep threat but find the balance to exploit that weakness when it matters most.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith must find a way to get the running game going while also incorporating Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren into the passing attack. Against the Bengals they combined for 10 catches and over 100 yards, but against the Eagles they each had one catch for a total of 10 yards. The most important outcome for running success will be to pay attention to the clock. The defense started hot against Philadelphia but looked exhausted as it kept being sent down the field. TJ Watt in particular will need rest to compete against Jackson and Henry as he sustained an ankle injury.
What the Ravens need to do to win: The Ravens need to clean up their game and take an objective approach to turn around their poor form against the Steelers. With just one win in its last nine meetings, Baltimore will need to stay focused to avoid game-winning turnovers and penalties that made the difference in the loss to Pittsburgh in November. Harbaugh’s team committed 12 penalties, turned the ball over three times and missed two field goals, while Jackson hit three balls at the line of scrimmage and was sacked twice.
With the kinks fixed, Jackson — 1-4 against Pittsburgh — will have to solve Mike Tomlin’s defense. One way to accomplish this is to utilize running back Justice Hill’s speed and great routing out of the backfield to more effectively utilize Mark Andrews’ more predictable targets in chunk plays and touchdowns. Mixing in tight end Isaiah Likely in the slot or out wide has the potential to break Pittsburgh’s spirit, too. The final piece of the puzzle must be replicating Philadelphia’s success in dominating time of possession. They managed just 24 minutes to Pittsburgh’s 36 in Week 11.
Advance in the playoff race: Philadelphia Eagles
To say that a 12-2 team with a 10-game winning streak is on the rise feels a little late…yet the Eagles hit a much higher offensive gear in their dominant win over Pittsburgh last week, esp been seen before in the passing game. A discouraging improvement that will shake the rest of the league a bit after QB Jalen Hurts beat his best receiver AJ Brown for double-digit targets in the first game since Week 1 while giving alternate Devonta Smith double-digit targets for the first time this season . They even finished the game with an eerily similar number of touchdowns, with Brown rushing for 110 yards and Smith rushing for 109 yards.
The No. 1 seed may not be losing yet, but it’s hovering with purpose as holes in Detroit’s roster continue to grow as the Minnesota Vikings also challenge at 12-2. However, the Lions face the Vikings in the final week of the season after Minnesota faces the Green Bay Packers in Week 17. With a win over Washington on Sunday, the Eagles can put serious pressure on their rivals for a first-round bye. A win against the Commanders would be close to an incredible 15-2 mark considering they were a walk in the park against the Cowboys and Giants at the end of the season.
Behind in the playoff race: Seattle Seahawks
Seattle will be in relief as Geno Smith will face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. You definitely need it. After Smith left last week’s game against the Packers with a knee injury, Sam Howell basically stepped in and averaged 1.71 yards on 14 pass attempts. Even with the starting lineup, the omens seem questionable after the Seahawks finally had their destiny in their own hands and quickly handed it over to the upstart Los Angeles Rams. They are on par with their NFC West counterparts at 8-6, but have the weaker conference record and could fall a game behind when the Rams face the New York Jets.
The Vikings appear to be a real proof game for Mike Macdonald’s team, and it’s premature to assume defeat after rattling off four straight wins this month. The question is who Seattle really is: the strong December defense that can trouble Sam Darnold, or the weaklings that went 1-5 midseason?
Race for the No. 1 draft pick
In the raging tire fire of NFL ineptitude, a bowl game of sorts will take place on Sunday. The 3-11 Jaguars face the 2-10 Raiders in a matchup that could have a dramatic impact on the 2025 draft order. A loss for Las Vegas leaves them in pole position for the best rookie quarterback – Shadeur Sanders? — to save the stricken Pirate Ship, while a loss for the Jaguars would keep them in the running to sign the best non-QB, in this case Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with pick three. The current order has them at Nos. 1 and 4, but the contingencies are so open that the Raiders could end up moving up to 10 spots with a win followed by two more to finish a dismal year strong. Stranger things have happened.
