It's Ravens vs. Steelers for the AFC North championship in primetime.
What else needs to be said? What better way to close the curtain on a regular season with so much drama?
While it's fitting for the Ravens and Steelers to meet in this situation, it's the first time they've ever played for the division title in the regular-season finale.
With inconsistent play, Baltimore (8-8) and Pittsburgh (9-7) have flirted with danger this season like daredevils in a high-wire act. However, there will be no safety net to catch the team that falls on Sunday. The winner moves on and will be the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs. The loser moves directly into an offseason of uncertainty.
The pressure on both teams is undeniable. Yet, beating the Steelers in this situation would give the Ravens the best feeling they've had all year, with a fourth-straight playoff berth to look forward to after starting 1-5.
"We've worked hard to get this position," Head Coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "There's a lot of different paths in football and there's a lot of different paths in life. This is the path of the 2025 season, so here we are. Our goal is to make the most of it."
Harbaugh (18th season) and Mike Tomlin (19th season) will face each other for the 40th time on Sunday as the NFL's longest-tenured current head coaches. The winning cultures they have built are part of the fabric of this rivalry. They have each won a Super Bowl. Harbaugh is the winningest coach in Ravens history, while Tomlin has never had a losing season.
Yet, their track record of success has not shielded them from criticism during a challenging year. At his Monday press conference, Harbaugh was asked if Sunday's outcome would be viewed as a "referendum" on either coach's job security. That's not a typical question during Ravens-Steelers week.
However, Harbaugh remains laser-focused on winning, deaf to outside noise that won't help him achieve what he works tirelessly to accomplish.
"I really don't have the [head] space for that," Harbaugh said. "It's not important. It's sports. That's how sports are. I feel honored to be a part of it. We feel it's worthwhile to be in games like this."
Both teams have acknowledged that they haven't performed up to expectations. The Ravens are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. The Steelers could have clinched the division in Week 17 and made the outcome of this game a moot point. Instead, they dropped a 13-6 decision to Cleveland that kept the Ravens alive.
That loss, coupled with the Ravens' 41-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, set up a showdown that the NFL couldn't resist scheduling in prime time. Competitors live for matchups like this, and Harbaugh acknowledges that facing the Steelers under the lights feels right.
"It's really awesome," Harbaugh said. "I think it's really cool. It's what you want. Nobody was disappointed we're playing Sunday night."
Top Steelers receiver DK Metcalf will serve the second game of a two-game suspension, which is certainly a break for Baltimore. Metcalf had seven catches for 142 yards in Week 14 against Baltimore when the Steelers won, 27-22, at M&T Bank Stadium.
If the Ravens win the rematch, they will become the first franchise to win three consecutive AFC North titles. Having competed in the division for so long, Harbaugh would be honored to have the Ravens finish on top again, especially on Pittsburgh's turf to clinch.
"We respect the Steelers, the organization," Harbaugh said. "We respect the AFC North. It's so darn competitive. It's something to think about. It's a big deal. But it's a game.
"It's like any big game. There's a lot riding on it, there's a lot to earn. You've got to play the type of game that can beat a really good football team in their stadium when the stakes are really high."
The Ravens seem to have the momentum, coming off Derrick Henryâs sensational performance against the Packers.
However, both teams know that success doesn't always carry from one week to the next. Ravens-Steelers games are always unpredictable, and with the stakes this high, both teams will be ready to empty the tank.
While this won't officially be a playoff game, it might as well be. The Ravens hope to barge into the postseason and the Steelers stand in the way.
How else would you write the script?
"As a Ravens fan or in the organization, you have to take a step back, and you have to nod your head a little bit and go, 'Yes, that's probably the way it should be,'" Harbaugh said.
"It's our responsibility to take care of us. Play our game the way we play, to execute the way we need to execute. Go play hard. Go play well. Go play good football. Our goal will be to play our best game of the season."
