Tag: AFC Playoffs

Steelers vs. Ravens: Baltimore releases lengthy practice report on Wednesday

The Ravens look to be resting multiple players this weekend.

On Wednesday, the Baltimore Ravens released their practice report, and if we are going off of the names on there, the Ravens are going to sit a ton of guys this week when they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18.

Here’s the full list:

WR Odell Beckham Jr. (NIR) – DNP

CB Ronald Darby (Illness) – DP

WR Zay Flowers (Calf) – DNP

S Kyle Hamilton (Knee) – DNP

LB Malik Harrison (Groin) – DNP

CB Marlon Humphrey (Calf) – DNP

QB Lamar Jackson (NIR) – Limited

CB Arthur Maulet (Hip) – Limited

LB Del’Shawn Phillips (Shoulder) – Limited

LB Patrick Queen (Shoulder) – Limited

CB Brandon Stephens (Ankle) – Limited

OLB Kyle Van Noy (Calf) – Limited

WR Tylan Wallace (Knee) – Limited

S Ar’Darius Washington (Pectoral) – Limited

DB Daryl Worley (Ankle/Shoulder) – DNP

G Kevin Zeitler (Knee/Quad) – DNP

The Ravens locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC last week after laying the smackdown on the Miami Dolphins. On the other side, the Steelers are playing for a shot to make the playoffs with some help. If the Ravens sit down most of their top players, Pittsburgh has a real chance to steal a win.

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Eagles potential NFC playoff matchups in 2023-24 NFL Wild Card round

We’re looking at the teams the Philadelphia Eagles could potentially face in the Wild Card round of the NFC playoffs

The Philadelphia Eagles have clinched a playoff spot, but thanks to a late-season collapse, Nick Sirianni’s team will await Week 18 results to see where they will be traveling and who they will play.

After losing the No. 1 overall seed a few weeks ago, the Eagles lost the chance to control their destiny in the No. 2 or No. 3 spots after an embarrassing loss to the Cardinals.

Depending on who wins or loses in the final week of the NFL regular season, Philadelphia could face New Orleans, Tampa Bay, or Atlanta in road matchups against the No. 4 seed from the AFC South.

If the Cowboys lose and the Eagles win in Week 18, the Birds could potentially face the Rams, Packers, Seahawks, or Vikings.

With preparation underway, who should Philadelphia want to face on Wild Card Weekend?

How the Steelers can make the playoffs with a loss

The Steelers path to the playoffs can still happen if they lose to the Ravens.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers can beat the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, they have a real shot to make the playoffs with a little help. But there is another road. A more complicated road that the Steelers could take that would involve them losing to the Ravens instead.

Should Pittsburgh fall to Baltimore, they would then need the Jacksonville Jaguars to lose to the Tennessee Titans, the Denver Broncos have to beat the Las Vegas Raiders and the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts game cannot end in a tie. IF all of those things happen, the Steelers still make the playoffs in the most backing in way possible.

Pittsburgh finds themselves in this position after losing three games in a row they should not have lost late in the season. On the flip side, the only reason the Steelers even have a chance at making the playoffs is because they won the last two games thanks to putting quarterback Mason Rudolph into the starting lineup.

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NFL playoff picture: NFC clinching scenarios for Week 18

We’re looking at the clinching scenarios for AFC and NFC teams ahead of the Week 18 slate of NFL games

There are only two teams still competing for the final playoff spot in the NFC, while Philadelphia has a must-win clinching scenario that involves potentially winning the NFC East, and No. 2 overall seed in Week 18.

NFL research released the clinching scenarios for the NFC, excluding any tiebreaker scenarios.

The AFC and NFC playoff picture is clear at the top, with Baltimore and San Francisco earning No. 1 overall seeds.

Here are the playoff-clinching scenarios for the NFC ahead of Week 18.

Start time and date announced for Week 18 Steelers vs Ravens

The Steelers and Ravens square off on Week 18 in the afternoon time slot on Saturday.

On Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced they will take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 on Saturday, January 6 at 4:30 PM ET and will be aired on ESPN and ABC.

This week the Steelers held on and beat the Seattle Seahawks to keep their playoff hopes alive. Meanwhile, the Ravens blew out the Miami Dolphins to assert their dominance over the rest of the AFC and secure the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

Baltimore has nothing to play for other than knocking the Steelers out of playoff contention so they could bench the bulk of their starters. This would give Pittsburgh a nice bump with their newfound offense under Mason Rudolph. If the Steelers make the playoffs, it would mean three teams from the AFC North are in the tournament.

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Looking at the Steelers paths to the playoffs

The Steelers have a variety of paths to the playoffs heading into Week 18.

First and foremost, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to win on Sunday and they did just that. Pittsburgh pulled off a 30-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks improving their record to 9-7. If the Steelers want to sneak into the playoffs here is what needs to happen in Week 18.

The Steelers need to beat the Baltimore Ravens for the simplest path to the playoffs. If the Steelers win, they need one of the two things to happen to get into the playoffs.

Either the Jacksonville Jaguars or Buffalo Bills must lose one of their games. The Jaguars take on the Tennessee Titans and the Bills are going against the Miami Dolphins.

There is a route to the playoffs for the Steelers that would involve losing to the Ravens next week. If that were to happen, the Steelers would need the Jaguars to lose specifically and would need the Denver Broncos to beat the Las Vegas Raiders.

The reality is, if not for three horrible weeks of football late in the season, none of this would matter. Pittsburgh has put itself into this position and has to live with the results.

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Colts will clinch playoff spot if they beat Texans in Week 18

Win and they’re in. Colts control their playoff fate in Week 18.

Win and they’re in.

The Indianapolis Colts (9-7) will enter the AFC playoffs if they defeat the Houston Texans (9-7) during the Week 18 regular-season finale.

Furthermore, if the Colts win and the Jacksonville Jaguars lose against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18, the Colts would win the division for the first time since 2014.

The Colts cannot make the playoffs if they lose in Week 18 because the first two wild-card spots have already been locked up by the Cleveland Browns (No. 5) and Buffalo Bills (No. 6).

The Colts could take over the No. 6 seed if they win, the Jaguars win and the Bills lose to the Miami Dolphins. They would pass the Bills in the standings because of their superior conference record.

None of the time slots for the Week 18 games have been announced yet, but there is a chance the Colts will play Saturday, Jan. 6, in either the 4:30 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. ET slot.

This has been a wild season and one that has endured plenty of storylines both on and off the field, but the Colts have a chance to make the playoffs in the first season under head coach Shane Steichen, which would be an impressive feat.

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Breaking down the Steelers’ path to the playoffs

The Steelers need plenty of help to make the playoffs.

After Saturday’s big win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves with a slim 13 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to the New York Times simulator. The Steelers are currently in the No. 9 spot, but there is a path to the playoffs that all starts with the Steelers winning out.

Pittsburgh finishes the season with a pair of brutal road games, first at the Seattle Seahawks and then against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. One saving grace could be that if the Ravens lock up the No. 1 seed next week, they might rest their starters in that season finale.

Aside from Pittsburgh winning those final two games, one of the following has to happen for the Steelers to make the playoffs:

  • The Buffalo Bills must lose one of their final two games. The Bills have the New England Patriots at home in Week 17 and a big road showdown against the Miami Dolphins in Week 18.
  • The Jacksonville Jaguars must lose one of their two final games. The Jaguars have the easiest path to the finish with a road game against the Carolina Panthers and the Tennesee Titans at home.

Finally, the Steelers could make the playoffs with two wins but the Cleveland Browns have to lose both of their last two games. The Browns go against the New York Jets at home in Week 17 and travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18.

Of the three scenarios, Buffalo losing to Miami is the most reasonable, but it won’t matter if the Steelers can’t find a way to win out. The downside of all this could be that Pittsburgh wins out and finishes 10-7 only to still miss the playoffs.

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