The Baltimore Ravens need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 to secure their spot in the AFC playoff picture. However, unless you live in the immediate area of either team, you’re probably not going to be able to watch the game on your television. The NFL broadcast map for Week 17 heavily features the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns, according to 506Sports, likely thanks to it being a far more interesting matchup.
With the Steelers having little to play for this week, they’re sitting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in favor of Mason Rudolph. That name might sound familiar as Browns defensive end Myles Garrett bashed the reserve quarterback in the head with his own helmet last season. Not only is that storyline prevalent, but Cleveland is also fighting for its playoff life this week despite holding a 10-5 record.
While the Ravens have a playoff spot on the line as well, they’re expected to beat the Bengals this week by a wide margin. One oddsmaker opened the week up with Baltimore holding a nearly two-touchdown spread over Cincinnati — indicative of their relative talent levels this season. And with a bunch of other scenarios where the Ravens can clinch a playoff spot even in a loss, television stations clearly wisely chose the bigger storylines to air.
If you’re in the green, you’ll be able to see Baltimore take on Cincinnati on CBS on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
NFL broadcast map – Week 17:
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