Three Reasons Steelers Could Defeat Ravens for AFC North Title

It doesn't get much better than this: the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, who make up one of the NFL's greatest rivalries, are set to face off for the AFC North title in the Week 18 regular season finale at Acrisure Stadium.

Pittsburgh had a shot to lock up the division and the No. 4 seed in the playoffs that comes with it last week, but it fell short in embarassing fashion upon losing to the Cleveland Browns.

The Ravens, meanwhile, took down the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field without Lamar Jackson as Derrick Henry ran for an absurd 216 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries.

In a Week 14 matchup between the two teams, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers snapped a two-game losing streak by earning a 27-22 victory. Without DK Metcalf this time around, though, who is serving the final game of his suspension, their offense could find it tough to move the ball down the field.

Though Pittsburgh feels like it's on the wrong side of this bout, it still could very well end up leaving this weekend's game with a win if a few things go its way.

With that, here are three reasons why the Steelers could emerge victorious over Baltimore.

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) runs with the ball in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pat Freiermuth Breaks Out

Without Metcalf, who posted 148 yards in Pittsburgh's aforementioned win over the Ravens a few weeks back, the Steelers desperately need someone to step up in his place.

That's where Pat Freiermuth enters the equation. While he hasn't been overly productive this season while working with Rodgers for the first time, he did almost single-handedly drive Pittsburgh down the field on its final drive of the game vs. Cleveland with back-to-back catches for a total of 40 yards.

Though the Steelers didn't end up scoring and tying the game, it proved just how valuable of a weapon Freiermuth can be when utilized correctly. None of the team's available wide receivers inspire any confidence, meaning the 27-year-old should be one of Rodgers' top targets vs. the Ravens.

Steelers Contain Derrick Henry

Henry was an absolute force against the Packers and always seems to get better in the latter stages of the season, which is a scary prospect for defenses that are tasked with facing the future Hall of Famer.

Given that Jackson didn't suit up vs. Green Bay and has been battling injuries all year along, limiting him to just 340 rushing yards when his previous career low was 695, Henry will likely be counted on to lead Baltimore's offense once again.

The Steelers' run defense has improved significantly over the past month or so, and they held Henry to an average of 3.8 yards on 25 carries their last time facing him in Week 14. They must limit him if they want to win the game, and there is evidence that they're capable of doing so over a full 60 minutes.

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs the ball in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Run Game Remains Potent

Pittsburgh had no success on the ground its last time out against the Ravens, posting just 34 yards on 17 attempts, but that didn't stop it from taking the win.

It's hard to foresee a world in which the Steelers match that outcome with another poor showing from a rushing perspective, however. The passing offense likely won't be nearly as efficient with Metcalf out, so the onus is on Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren to shoulder the load.

The duo ran for a combined 90 yards on 19 carries last week against the Browns after tallying 193 yards on 23 attempts vs. the Detroit Lions in Week 16, with most of that production being attributed to Warren.

A big performance from Gainwell and Warren is absolutely necessary in this case, and should it get it, Pittsburgh will likely be in good shape.

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