The Pittsburgh Steelers’ path to either a spot in the playoffs or the end of the season is clear.
If the Steelers (9-7) defeat or tie with the Baltimore Ravens (8-8) on Sunday night in the regular season finale at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, they will win the AFC North and host a first-round playoff game. If the Steelers lose, their season is over, and the AFC North crown will go to the Ravens on a tiebreaker.
Though the Steelers missed the opportunity to clinch the division title on Sunday when they lost to the lowly Browns in Cleveland, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward cherishes being in a winner-take-all scenario with his team’s fiercest rival.
"It's for everything this week," Heyward said. “You don't have to look around. You don't have to wait for somebody else to play. If you're a competitor and you understand this rivalry between Baltimore, it's what you want. We control our destiny. We don't have to look around. Week 18, ball's in our home court. I expect our guys to be locked in, ready for this opportunity.”
The Steelers blew a great opportunity on Sunday as the Browns entered the game with a 3-12 record. Yet the Steelers managed just two field goals and lost 13-6 on a wet and windy day at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.
However, the Steelers insist they are not dwelling on the loss. Instead, they say their focus is on the Ravens.
"We've got to have that next game mentality and prepare for it," rookie defensive tackle Derrick Harmon said. “I'm ready to play ball."
The Steelers took control of the division race when they beat the Ravens 27-22 on Dec. 7 in Baltimore, then built a two-game lead in the standings with two games to play. However, the Ravens staved off elimination last Saturday by upsetting the Packers 41-24 despite playing without injured quarterback Lamar Jackson. Derrick Henry led the way by rushing for 216 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries.
The Steelers, who are 13th in the NFL in rushing defense, slowed Henry down in the season’s first meeting with the Ravens as he had 94 yards on 25 carries. They will have to keep the future Hall of Famer in check again in the rematch.
"We're just trying to go out there and play ball because this is our season on the line," Harmon said. "So, we're just going there trying to stop that man to the best of our ability."