Steelers Get Bad News As Ravens Have Optimal Path Towards AFC North Crown After Big Report Ahead Of Week 16

The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2025 season is coming down to the wire. The team currently has a record of 8-6, which gives it the lead in the AFC North with just three games remaining in the regular season. The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are both eliminated from playoff contention, which means the only team Pittsburgh needs to worry about is the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are currently 7-7, and Baltimore and Pittsburgh are set to clash in Week 18 for what could be a playoff-type game that would decide the division. The winner would likely be the four-seed, and the loser's season would be over with -- assuming one of the long shot Wild Card scenarios doesn't come to fruition.

Baltimore is currently behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North, and the Steelers have a chance to clinch the division prior to the Week 18 rematch between the two teams. The way for the Steelers to clinch the division before Week 18 would be for Baltimore to lose its next two games, while Pittsburgh splits its next two, or for Baltimore to lose one of its next two games while Pittsburgh wins in both Week 16 and Week 17.

Both of those scenarios got a little harder after injury news dropped on Friday. Baltimore plays the New England Patriots in Week 16, and Head Coach Mike Vrabel spoke on some crucial injuries to the Patriots' defense on Friday.

This makes the Ravens' Week 16 matchup much easier for Baltimore to win. Robert Spillane is the leader of that defense and a very underrated inside linebacker that used to don the black and gold, but he has already been ruled out for the game. In addition to that, two players in the secondary for New England are questionable as well as two key pieces of the front seven.

This will make the challenge for Baltimore's struggling offense much easier. The Ravens have a tough schedule ahead with New England in Week 16 and the Green Bay Packers in Week 17, but now the Ravens should probably beat the Patriots. That would eliminate the scenario where the Ravens drop each of their next two games and the Steelers split their next two contests in order to clinch the division.

That was the most realistic option for the Steelers to wrap up the AFC North before Week 18. The Steelers are currently preparing for a game against the Detroit Lions, and that is going to be a hard contest to win. If the Steelers lose to Detroit and Baltimore beats New England, there is no way for the division to be decided outside of the head to head that will take place in Pittsburgh in Week 18.

Steelers Need To Wrap Up Division Before Week 18

The Steelers need to get lucky and find a way to wrap up the AFC North prior to Week 18. History states that the Ravens and the Steelers typically split their season series, which doesn't bode well for Pittsburgh going into that matchup in the regular season finale. If Pittsburgh wants a legitimate chance at the postseason, the Ravens need to drop the next two games while Pittsburgh wins at least one, or the Steelers need to win the next two games while the Ravens lose at least one as mentioned above. 

That would also allow for Pittsburgh to rest starters in Week 18, which would be great for one of the older teams in the NFL.

What do you think about the Ravens hosting the Patriots this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!

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