The Pittsburgh Steelers have a couple of different ways they can make the 2026 NFL Playoffs. While this team consistently makes the playoffs, the Steelers haven’t won the AFC North since 2020. Interestingly enough, no team has won the AFC North three years in a row, and if the Baltimore Ravens win, they will break that streak. Let’s take a look at the different ways the AFC North can playout, and the Steelers and Ravens race for the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers Path to the Playoffs – The Steelers Ravens Race
Option 1: Win One More Game Than the Ravens in Weeks 16 and 17

The Steelers are firmly in the driver’s seat here. With a one-game lead over the Ravens, one extra win would put the playoffs out of reach for Lamar Jackson and co. The Steelers play the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, while the Ravens play the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots. The Steelers are touchdown underdogs against the Lions this week, while the Ravens are favored against Drake Maye and the Patriots.

It’s unlikely the Steelers pull it off this week, but if both teams lose, Week 17 is more believable for Steelers fans. The Browns are a classic trap game, but the Steelers will likely be heavy favorites. Meanwhile, the Packers are a top ten team in most NFL power rankings, and the team has its sights set on a Super Bowl run. There’s a real world where the Week 18 matchup between Pittsburgh and Baltimore is a moot point.

Option 2: Beat the Ravens in Week 18

Even if the Steelers lose in the next two weeks, the Week 18 matchup will determine the winner of the division. The first scenario can make Week 18 irrelevant as Pittsburgh has already won the division, but there is no way for the Ravens to win the division before the final game.

Both teams control their own fate as the season winds to a close. Win out, and you’re in, but a stumble by the Ravens over the next two weeks can open the door for Pittsburgh to rest starters in Week 18.

Likely Playoff Scenarios for Both the Steelers and Ravens

Regardless of who wins the division, three teams are the most likely matchups for the AFC North champ in round one. As the division winner, they will host the game against a team that likely will have won more games than they have.

Buffalo Bills: If the Patriots win the division, the Bills could come to town. The Bills have beaten both the Steelers and Ravens earlier this season, and their offense looks unstoppable with Josh Allen at the helm.

New England Patriots: On the flip side of the Bills coin, the Patriots still haven’t clinched the division and could end up as the five seed in the AFC. They lost to the Steelers early in the season, and still have a matchup against the Ravens this week.

Los Angeles Chargers: If the Chargers win more games than the AFC East and AFC South runner-up, they’ll head to the East Coast for Wild Card weekend. A banged-up offensive line and Justin Herbert playing with a broken hand are probably the best-case scenario for whoever wins the North, but the Chargers won’t go down easily.

The Jaguars and Texans both have less than a 15% chance to be the five seed, but they are still possible matchups.

Read More: The Hidden Gem on the Pittsburgh Steelers

Main Photo Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images