Steelers Get A Potential Early Christmas Present After 4x Pro Bowler Is Released

The Steelers will be hosting this contest with the Ravens, and the group won the first matchup between the two sides earlier in the season. The Steelers are currently preparing for a game against the Detroit Lions, and that is going to be a hard contest to win. 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. 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. 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.

Steelers Give Fans Terrific News With Clean Bill Of Health Ahead Of AFC North Title Game

This will make the challenge for Baltimore’s struggling offense much easier. 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. 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 Pittsburgh Steelers have won four of their last five games of the regular season to clinch the AFC North for the first time since 2020.
• They eclipsed over 100 yards in all except one, which was a win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14.
• 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.
• Tomlin has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and while the idea of Pittsburgh outright firing him has long sounded far-fetched, the pressure continues to build as the years go by without postseason success.

Smith did well with what he had in front of him, but there could be more with the current Commanders’ offensive play-caller. In 2024, Kingsbury was more successful in developing Daniels and turning him into a quality starting-caliber quarterback than the Steelers have with any prospect since Roethlisberger, who was drafted three years before Tomlin was hired. The Steelers will most likely be drafting a quarterback at some time in the 2026 NFL Draft. In fact, he could be the forward-thinking mind that the Steelers desperately need to allow its offense to reach its full potential.

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 Aviator need to win the next two games while the Ravens lose at least one as mentioned above. The Steelers decided they’d seen enough from the rookie, who was inactive for the last three games of the regular season. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won four of their last five games of the regular season to clinch the AFC North for the first time since 2020.

This is one of the instances where a Week 18 matchup is a playoff game essentially in its own right, despite the fact that it is still being played under the guise of a regular season matchup. 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. Steelers linebacker TJ Watt attempts to sack Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson during Pittsburgh’s win in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL regular season. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 in Baltimore, MD. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball downfield in the team’s Week 14 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Steelers Need To Wrap Up Division Before Week 18

The passing game struggled in Week 17, so hopefully Austin’s return can make things flow a little easier in that regard. Both James Pierre and Brandin Echols are good to go for the game against the Ravens. Pittsburgh has a clean bill of health going into this game, which means a lot of key players will be returning to the lineup. 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. 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. 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.

NFL insider Albert Breer revealed on Friday that the longtime head coach may be considering stepping away from the sidelines. If the Steelers blow the division once again, many questions will be heading Mike Tomlin’s way about his ongoing playoff drought. The loser will see their 2025 season come to an end, making this one of the most high-stakes matchups in the rivalry in recent years. The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting ready to play the Baltimore Ravens for a winner-take-all, hat and t-shirt game on Sunday night. Despite the great first season in Washington there was the aforementioned report where there is supposedly a “disconnect” from the executives and the offensive coordinator.

The Steelers are now set to face an elite Houston Texans defense on Monday Night Football in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. They eclipsed over 100 yards in all except one, which was a win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14. Judon would also add another veteran presence to the locker room, something that would continue to be beneficial to the Steelers, especially after seeing the impact other veteran presence has had on the offensive side of the ball.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had many reports surrounding their offensive coordinator come out as the 2025 season comes to a close. They aren’t allowing their players to develop heavily in in-game situations. He, like Johnson, have been scratched for the last few games. Wilson played in one game in his rookie season, where he logged just five snaps.

Judon could serve the Steelers well as a depth or rotational piece come playoff time, giving the Steelers even more options at linebacker should they need it. The Steelers have been labeled an intriguing option for a team that could end up claiming Judon, primarily due to the injuries the team has at linebacker. Amid the speculation on where Judon could eventually land, whether being claimed by a team or free to sign where he wants in free agency, one option has already generated some speculation. The injuries to both Herbig and Seumalo are still being evaluated and both are questionable for the upcoming matchup against the Detroit Lions. The Steelers did what they had to do to put themselves firmly in control of the AFC North with three more weeks left to play.

If Smith does get a head coaching job, the team could hire Kingsbury and potentially get an upgrade at the position. There’s no doubt that Kingsbury was not good as a head coach, but like Smith, he may be more comfortable as an offensive coordinator. Like Smith, Kliff Kingsbury has also taken up an offensive coordinator gig to try and fix his reputation after he struggled hard as a head coach. Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) during a regular season matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins. Judon played 13 games for the Dolphins this season, and with his release, he’d be a consistent player in terms of availability, something that would massively benefit the Steelers on defense.