The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens this past Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium, putting them in a tie with Baltimore for the AFC North lead. Despite the setback, Pittsburgh still controls its own destiny, but the road to securing the division title is anything but easy.

The Steelers’ defense struggled to contain Ravens running back Derrick Henry, who racked up 220 rushing yards, including a 44-yard run that set up a crucial touchdown. Quarterback Lamar Jackson added to the Steelers’ woes with three passing touchdowns, one of which was a 7-yard strike to tight end Mark Andrews late in the third quarter to give Baltimore a 24-17 lead.

On offense, the Steelers showed flashes of promise but were undone by costly mistakes. Quarterback Russell Wilson threw for 217 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while also losing a fumble that helped swing momentum in favor of the Ravens.

Running back Jaylen Warren had a solid performance, contributing 117 total yards, but the Steelers struggled on third downs, converting just 4 of 10 attempts, and allowed three sacks throughout the game.

With the loss, Pittsburgh’s focus now shifts to the challenging road ahead. The Steelers will face the 14-1 Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, a team that’s gunning for home-field advantage in the playoffs and their third straight Super Bowl appearance.

Following that, Pittsburgh will close out the regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals, a division rival that, despite struggling this season, still has the talent to cause an upset.

Meanwhile, the Ravens share the division lead but arguably have an easier schedule to close out the year. Baltimore faces the Houston Texans in Week 17 and will wrap up the season against the Cleveland Browns, a team that already defeated the Ravens earlier this year, leaving a glimmer of uncertainty.

This makes the AFC North race even more pressure-packed for Pittsburgh, which has already secured a playoff spot but must now win the division to avoid a wild-card berth.

The Steelers’ path to the division title will require them to regroup quickly and avoid further mistakes. With the Chiefs and Bengals still on the horizon, Pittsburgh must secure wins to not only claim the AFC North but also position themselves for a deeper playoff run. Ensuring home-field advantage and building momentum will be key as the Steelers look to capitalize on their playoff berth and push for a deep postseason run.