The 2025 NFL season will come to an end on Sunday night with the Ravens at the Steelers, with the AFC North on the line between two head coaches who will be facing each other for the 40th time.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin have faced each other 39 times in their careers, the second-most for any coaching matchup in NFL history and the most for any pair of living coaches.
Only George Halas and Curly Lambeau, who coached against each other 49 times between 1921 and 1953, faced each other more. Halas coached the Bears, while Lambeau coached the Packers for 29 seasons, the Chicago Cardinals for two seasons and Washington for two seasons.
Tomlin became the Steelers’ head coach in 2007 and Harbaugh became the Ravens’ head coach in 2008, and they’ve coached against each other twice every regular season and four times in the playoffs since then. The two of them have had remarkable job security, although there’s been talk this season that their job security could be faltering, and this could be their last season coaching against each other.
Through 38 games, Tomlin is 22-17 against Harbaugh. The Ravens are 3.5-point favorites on Sunday at Pittsburgh.
Steelers Clips
One of Pittsburgh’s key offensive contributors is on the mend.
Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters in his Tuesday press conference that tight end Darnell Washington underwent surgery to repair his broken arm on Tuesday morning.
While Washington is ostensibly out for the season whether the Steelers make the playoffs or not, Tomlin noted his focus is solely on this week.
Washington was fourth on the team with 364 receiving yards on 31 receptions with one touchdown.
Tomlin noted that the Steelers do have options to replace Washington’s production.
“You know, we use a lot of tight ends,” Tomlin said. “We also use guys at the tight end position that don’t play tight end — Spencer Anderson. So we have a lot of options at our disposal relative to that from a strategy perspective and certainly given six or seven days to prepare, I don’t think it’ll be a strategic issue in terms of replacing his efforts.”
It will, however, be impossible to replicate Washington’s body type at six-foot-seven and 264 pounds with the way he can move.
Pat Freeirmuth, Jonnu Smith, and Connor Heyward are the team’s listed other options at tight end on the 53-man roster.
There is a decent chance the Steelers will have edge rusher T.J. Watt back for Sunday’s big game against the Ravens.
Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters in his Tuesday press conference that he’s “optimistic” about Watt potentially playing in the game that will determine this year’s AFC North champion.
“Although I haven’t seen T.J. today, optimistic about his potential inclusion in this game,” Tomlin said. “We’ll work him up throughout the course of the week and let the amount of participation and the quality of participation be our guide in terms of whether or not he’s a participant [in the game].
“But certainly am more optimistic this week than I have been in previous weeks as I stand here today.”
Watt has not played since the team’s Dec. 7 victory over Baltimore, having needed a procedure to close a small hole in his lung. Watt practiced in a limited capacity last week, but that was not enough for the club to put him on the field against the Browns in Week 17.
“Practice participation would certainly be more comforting in terms of making a decision, given he’s coming back from a medical circumstance,” Tomlin said. “He’s coming off of a medical circumstance — different from an injury circumstance. So, certainly he has a certain level of health. But we want to be cautious about how we work him back in the fold. And certainly, he’s done appropriate things in that area as well. And as I mentioned last week, I’m sure you guys will be hearing from him sooner rather than later, directly.”
Tomlin said he’s not concerned about Watt not being in “football shape” despite his three-game absence.
“I doubt that T.J. is ever out of football shape or conditioning over the course of a 12-month calendar,” Tomlin said. “I just know how he lives his life, how he prepares, how thoughtful he is in terms of what he puts in his body and how he trains.”
Even so, Tomlin noted he’s willing to use Watt circumstantially instead of the edge rusher taking his usual number of defensive snaps if necessary.
“I’m open to utilizing him in any way that’s appropriate relative to his availability,” Tomlin said.
Additionally, Tomlin noted he’s optimistic that receiver Calvin Austin (hamstring, cornerback Brandin Echols (groin), cornerback James Pierre (calf), offensive lineman Isaac Seumaulo (triceps), and linebacker Malik Harrison (bone bruise) will all be able to play on Sunday.
The Steelers’ first injury report of the week will come out on Wednesday.
The 2025 NFL regular season comes to an end on Sunday, and two playoff berths are still to be determined, with the AFC North and NFC South on the line. Also still up for grabs are most of the seeds, including the No. 1 seed in both the AFC and NFC. The full Week 18 Playoff Scenarios distributed by the NFL are below:
AFC
CLINCHED:
Denver Broncos (13-3) – AFC West
New England Patriots (13-3) – AFC East
Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) – playoff berth
Buffalo Bills (11-5) – playoff berth
Houston Texans (11-5) – playoff berth
Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) – playoff berth
SCENARIOS:
Denver Broncos (13-3) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS
Denver clinches the AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
DEN win OR
DEN tie + NE loss or tie OR
NE loss + JAX loss or tie
New England Patriots (13-3) vs. Miami (7-9); Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
New England clinches the AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
NE win + DEN loss or tie OR
NE tie + DEN loss
Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4) vs. Tennessee (3-13); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX
Jacksonville clinches AFC South division title and the AFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
JAX win + DEN loss + NE loss
Jacksonville clinches AFC South division title with:
JAX win or tie OR
HOU loss or tie
Houston Texans (11-5) vs. Indianapolis (8-8); Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Houston clinches AFC South division title with:
HOU win + JAX loss
Baltimore Ravens (8-8) at Pittsburgh (9-7); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Baltimore clinches AFC North division title with:
BAL win
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) vs. Baltimore (8-8); Sunday night, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Pittsburgh clinches AFC North division title with:
PIT win or tie
NFC
CLINCHED:
Seattle Seahawks (13-3) – playoff berth
San Francisco 49ers (12-4) – playoff berth
Chicago Bears (11-5) – NFC North
Los Angeles Rams (11-5) – playoff berth
Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) – NFC East
Green Bay Packers (9-6-1) – playoff berth
San Francisco 49ers (12-4) vs. Seattle (13-3); Saturday night, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
San Francisco clinches NFC West division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
SF win
Seattle Seahawks (13-3) at San Francisco (12-4); Saturday night, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Seattle clinches NFC West division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, lone first-round bye and home-field advantage with:
SEA win or tie
Carolina Panthers (8-8) at Tampa Bay (7-9); Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Carolina clinches NFC South division title with:
CAR win or tie OR
ATL win
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9) vs. Carolina (8-8); Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Tampa Bay clinches NFC South division title with:
TB win + ATL loss or tie
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will be facing each other for the 40th time in those roles on Sunday night and the winner of the game will get to celebrate a division title and a playoff berth.
The fallout for the loser has been the subject of a lot of speculation since it became clear in recent weeks that only one of the teams would have a chance of advancing to the postseason. Both coaches have fielded questions about their job security and Harbaugh was asked at a Monday press conference about whether the Sunday night game will be “a kind of referendum” on two coaches nearing the end of their second decade in their current roles.
“I really just don’t have the space for that,” Harbaugh said, via a transcript from the team. “It’s just not something that you have the ability to think about. It’s not important. If it was important, and it had an impact and a bearing, then I think you’d think about it, because it’s always that way. . . . And I know there’s always pressure. There’s always pressure, but I think it was Billie Jean King who said that pressure is a privilege, right? Was it Billie Jean King who said that? And that’s something that is earned. So, we feel like it’s something very worthwhile to be in games like this. And if those are the things that are being talked about along with that, that’s OK. That’s a privilege, too. So, let’s get to work, and let’s go try to play our best game and try to coach our best game.”
There’s been plenty of disappointment on both sides of the long-standing AFC North rivalry this season and the winner of Sunday’s game won’t be able to evade questions about their overall direction, but they’re going to be a lot faster and a lot more pointed for the team whose season ends this weekend.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday afternoon that the team will need to see how quarterback Lamar Jackson looks at practice before knowing whether he’ll be healthy enough to play on Sunday night against the Steelers.
“It’s to be determined,” Harbaugh said. “He’s coming off a very serious injury and he’s working at it. I saw him here today working at it. I think we’ll know a lot more on Wednesday.
Jackson missed Saturday’s game against the Packers, but Harbaugh said there were some signs last week that Jackson was starting to get better.
“There was improvement throughout the week,” Harbaugh said. “It was not good at all early in the week and he improved as the week went on, and that was cause for optimism.”
Harbaugh said that whether Jackson is ready to go will ultimately be decided not by him but by the team’s medical staff.
“The doctors and training staff,” Harbaugh said. “The coaches aren’t deciding who plays from a medical standpoint.”
Harbaugh said he was pleased with how backup quarterback Tyler Huntley played in place of Jackson against the Packers, but the only factor in whether Jackson starts on Sunday night is whether Jackson is cleared.
“Our confidence in Tyler is a real big positive, a real plus, but it doesn’t factor into whether Lamar plays,” Harbaugh said. “If Lamar’s ready to go, he’s playing. That’s it. For sure.”
Ryan Kennedy is a Lions fans. The Ravens are currently Ryan Kennedy fans.
The man who provoked Steelers receiver DK Metcalf to approach the stands, grab his shirt, yank him down, and throw a hand/fist toward his face (possibly grazing it) has potentially derailed Pittsburgh’s season, opening the door for Baltimore to swipe the AFC North.
Obviously, Metcalf should have restrained himself. Even more obviously, the Steelers should have had someone/anyone in place to intervene before Metcalf got to Kennedy. The team has no one to blame but itself for failing to stop Metcalf from approaching, and then initiating contact with, an opposing fan.
Metcalf’s absence was evident on Sunday in Cleveland. The series of plays at the end of the game included three straight passes thrown by quarterback Aaron Rodgers to former Packers teammate Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Two had no chance at all. One would have required the kind of athleticism that Valdes-Scantling wasn’t able to display in the moment. And, each time, Valdes-Scantling was blanketed by Browns cornerback Denzel Ward.
If it had been Metcalf facing single coverage on the right side of the formation, the chances of at least one of those throws connecting would have been significantly higher. And it may not have even come down to that drive, if Metcalf had been available throughout the game. (In the Week 5 game against Cleveland, Metcalf had four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.)
Metcalf will serve the second leg of his two-game suspension on Sunday night, against the Ravens. In Week 14, he had seven catches for 148 yards at Baltimore.
Which receiver on the Pittsburgh roster can come close to replacing that production? On Sunday, Adam Thielen got the start as the Steelers opened with three tight ends on the field. Thielen participated in 86 percent of the snaps. Three other receivers played: Valdes-Scantling (82 percent), Scotty Miller (64 percent), and Roman Wilson (14 percent). (Ben Skowronek played special teams only, and Calvin Austin III was inactive due to a hamstring injury.)
Miller finished with three catches for 25 yards. Valdes-Scantling had three catches for 21 yards, on nine targets. Thielen had two catches for 14 yards. Wilson had zero targets, even though coach Mike Tomlin specifically mentioned Wilson as a candidate to step up in place of Metcalf, with Tomlin’s T-shirt worthy line: “One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.”
Metcalf’s misfortune has damaged Pittsburgh’s opportunity to make the playoffs. Will it be any different this weekend? (Former Rodgers teammate Allen Lazard remains available.)
There’s some good news for Week 18. Rodgers may not be rushing his throws as much in the regular-season finale, given that he won’t be seemingly obsessed with not joining the record books as the quarterback whom Myles Garrett sacked for the single-season record.
The marquee game of the final week of the regular season is the Ravens at the Steelers, with the AFC North on the line on Sunday Night Football. The Steelers are at home, they have a better record and they beat the Ravens in Baltimore three weeks ago, but the Ravens are favored.
The betting odds have Baltimore as a 3.5-point favorite at Pittsburgh.
That’s despite questions about the status of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who missed Saturday’s game with a back injury. Tyler Huntley played well enough in Jackson’s absence that the Ravens would likely remain favorites even if Jackson is ruled out.
The Steelers didn’t do anything in their loss to the Browns on Sunday to inspire confidence in their ability to play well and win with a playoff berth on the line. Heading into Sunday against the Ravens, the Steelers are the underdogs.
The Steelers had a chance to make Week 18 meaningless by beating the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday, but they couldn’t make that happen.
Whether that was because they were too focused on keeping Myles Garrett from breaking the single-season sack record, a long-standing issue when it comes to beating bad teams or something else, the 13-6 loss to the Browns means they will need to beat the Ravens for the second time this season in order to win the AFC North.
The Steelers know they won’t have wide receiver DK Metcalf for that game as he finishes serving a two-game suspension while tight end Darnell Washington broke his arm on Sunday. Wide receiver Calvin Austin missed the game with a hamstring injury to compound the issues contributing to a dismal offensive performance, but the prospect of a shorthanded offense didn’t give quarterback Aaron Rodgers reason for doubt that his team will come through against Baltimore.
“I have full confidence we’ll go home and win next week. . .. We’ve done it all season,” Rodgers said in his postgame press conference. “We’ve handled adversity well. When we had to play our best ball we did, other than today.”
The Steelers opened the season 4-1, dipped to 6-6 and then won three straight before Sunday’s loss, so it has been a streaky first season for Rodgers in Pittsburgh. The hope will be that the Browns game is an exception to that pattern or next Sunday night could turn out to be the final time we see Rodgers in an NFL uniform.
The Steelers had the AFC North in their grasp. And they blew their chance, losing to the previously 3-12 Browns.
It’s not the first time the Steelers have fallen flat in recent years against a bad team.
Via Doug Clawson of CBS Sports, the Steelers are winless in their last five games against teams that entered the contest eight or more games below .500. That ties the longest streak in NFL history.
The Steelers lost to the 2-10-1 Bengals in 2020 (Pittsburgh entered the game 11-2), they tied the 0-8 Lions in 2021 (the Steelers entered the game 5-3), they lost to the 2-10 Cardinals in 2023 (Pittsburgh was 7-4), they lost to the 2-10 Patriots the very next week in 2023 (7-5), and they lost on Sunday to the 3-12 Browns (9-6).
While many players have changed since 2020, there are some constants, both on the roster and the coaching staff (starting with, obviously, head coach Mike Tomlin). The situation speaks to the habit of overlooking a subpar foe, losing just enough focus to not beat them.
Fortunately for the Steelers, they won’t be facing any more teams with bad records, either next week or in the postseason, if they can beat the 8-8 Ravens and qualify for the playoffs. It the Steelers lose to Baltimore, the Steelers can blame themselves for another failure to handle a team with a very bad record.
