The Ravens know what they need in Week 18 next weekend to repeat as AFC North champions: a home victory against the flailing Cleveland Browns or a Cincinnati Bengals road win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Less certain is which AFC team might come to Baltimore for a potential wild-card-round playoff game.
After Wednesday’s win over the Houston Texans, the Ravens (11-5) have about 93% odds of earning the AFC’s No. 3 seed, according to The New York Times’ playoff simulator. The Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) and Steelers (10-6) are the most likely No. 6 seeds and would stand in their way of a potential divisional-round road game against the Buffalo Bills (12-3).
Pittsburgh, because of its Week 3 win over the Chargers, has the inside track to the No. 5 seed. As the AFC’s top wild-card team, it would get a road playoff game against the AFC South champion Houston Texans (9-7), whom the Ravens pummeled on Christmas Day. But the Steelers have lost three straight games, all to playoff-bound teams, and will be hosting the still-alive Bengals (8-8) in Week 18.
The Chargers, meanwhile, have won two straight games, including a crucial Week 16 home matchup with the wild-card-contending Denver Broncos, and will face the downtrodden Las Vegas Raiders on the road in their regular-season finale.
If Pittsburgh and the Chargers both win in Week 18, while the Ravens take care of business against Cleveland, the Steelers would get the No. 5 seed. If Pittsburgh loses and the Chargers win, the Chargers would get the No. 5 seed. If the Steelers and Chargers both lose, Pittsburgh would get the No. 5 seed. The Ravens have beaten both teams, though they also lost in Pittsburgh in Week 11.
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If the Ravens don’t win the AFC North, they could fall no further than the No. 5 seed, setting up a rematch with the Texans in Houston. If the Ravens win in the wild-card round as the No. 5 seed, along with the AFC’s second- and third-seeded teams, they would face the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs (15-1) at Arrowhead Stadium in the divisional round.
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