The Baltimore Ravens entered Week 17 in need of some major help. But, first, they had to take care of business themselves. And, they did just that by beating the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.
But then, the Ravens had to cheer for a red-hot Pittsburgh Steelers team to lose at the hands of ... the Cleveland Browns. It seemed highly unlikely, but like we often hear said around the league, "any given Sunday..."
And, on this Sunday, the Steelers did, indeed, lose to Shedeur Sanders and the Browns.
The Steelers had come into this one winners of three in a row. The Browns, meanwhile, had nothing to play for. It was a game that had "pride" written all over it for Cleveland. And the Browns took care of business.
Cleveland just gave the Ravens the shot of playoff adrenaline they needed
Just like that, a Week 18 showdown between the Ravens and Steelers is a contest for all the marbles. The winner not only takes the AFC North and secures a playoff berth, but they send the loser home, ending their season.
Just a couple of days ago, Ravens fans weren't feeling too confident. John Harbaugh was coming off a game where he failed to give Derrick Henry the ball when the game was on the line, resulting in a narrow loss.
Every bit of logic would have told you that the Ravens were dead in the water. Not only did they have to beat a team, in the Packers, who were also fighting for their division's title, but they'd need a miraculous turn of events for a sorry Browns team to beat the Steelers.
Somehow, some way, both of those things happened.
Obviously, Harbs figured out that when you give Henry the ball, good things happen. Henry put on one of the most impressive performances of his career in a game the Ravens desperately needed. And now, he'll need to do it one more time against a Steelers team that's got a top-half defense against the run.
But, that stat is a little misleading because in Week 17, Pittsburgh allowed Cleveland only 78 rushing yards. The week prior against the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh held Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, and company, to a measly 15 rushing yards total.
This is going to be much tougher than it looks on the surface, but would we want it any other way?
The season finale and for the division title? Heck yeah, let's get it.