Here's how the Ravens can still win the AFC North despite tough road ahead

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-17 on Saturday, and that win put them in position to fight for the AFC North title over the next two weeks. The Steelers still have the tie-breaking advantage at this point, but Week 18 will be imperative to determine what will happen. What's ahead Both the Ravens […]

Wendell Ferreira — NFL News Writer
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scrambles during the first quarter pressured by Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Keeanu Benton (95) at M&T Bank Stadium.
Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-17 on Saturday, and that win put them in position to fight for the AFC North title over the next two weeks. The Steelers still have the tie-breaking advantage at this point, but Week 18 will be imperative to determine what will happen.

What's ahead

Both the Ravens and the Steelers play on Christmas, as the NFL is trying to establish itself on the Holiday. The Steelers play against the Kansas City Chiefs, while the Ravens go to Houston to face the Texans.

In Week 18, the Ravens play the Cleveland Browns, while the Steelers face the Cincinnati Bengals — curiously, the Steelers will play both of their games in Pittsburgh.

Standings

The Steelers and Ravens are 10-5, and both have already clinched a playoff spot. They are 3-2 inside the AFC North, so Pittsburgh is ahead because it has a better conference record (7-3 to 6-4).

If the Ravens win more games than the Steelers over the next two weeks, there's no more tie-breaking scenarios to go through, and Baltimore would win the division outright.

If the Steelers and Ravens lose out or win out, the Steelers will have the advantage, and the Ravens would go to the postseason as a wild card team.

Nuances

Things get a little bit more complicated if the Ravens win one and the Steelers win one as well. The final AFC North standings would depend on each game each team won or lost.

If the Steelers beat the Chiefs and lose to the Bengals, that would open the window for the Ravens to win the division with a win over the Browns, even if they lose to the Texans on Wednesday. That's because, in this case, the Ravens would have a better division record — which is the second tie-breaker, after the head-to-head record.

If the Steelers beat the Bengals, the Ravens' only shot is if they win out and the Steelers lose to the Chiefs.

That sequence gives the Steelers a slight advantage. According to The New York Times projections, the Ravens have a 47% chance of winning the AFC North, against a 53% chance from the Steelers.

Right now, the Ravens are the fifth seed in the AFC, with a wild card matchup at the Houston Texans to open the postseason. Meanwhile, the Steelers are in third place, projected to host the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round.

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