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By Jenn McGraw
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We've finally approached Week 18 of the NFL season, and some playoff scenarios are still being figured out down to the wire.
On the AFC side, there will be a primetime, winner-take-all showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers for "Sunday Night Football." The winner of this AFC North matchup will clinch the division and the No. 4 seed, while the loser sees its postseason hopes end.
After opening the season with just one win in their first six games, Baltimore has fought its way back into position for a winner-take-all finale. According to ESPN research producer Ed Kaplan on "Sunday NFL Countdown," Baltimore’s path to victory is simple: control the run game.
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The run game, led by Derrick Henry, powered several of Baltimore’s biggest victories this season. A standout example was the Week 17 win over the Green Bay Packers, where Henry rushed for a career-high 216 yards and four touchdowns, while the team totaled 307 rushing yards.
“The Ravens are the only team in the last 50 seasons to rush for at least 200 yards in three straight games against the Steelers’ defense.” Kaplan said.
This means the Steelers will need to attack the Ravens' highly effective run game. In the last three matchups, the Ravens ran circles around Pittsburgh with 245 rush yards per game.
A win Sunday night wouldn't just secure playoffs – it would make the Baltimore Ravens one of just five teams in the NFL to reach the postseason after starting 1-5. Pittsburgh’s best chance will come from forcing early third-and-longs and daring Baltimore to win through the air rather than on the ground.
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