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The Baltimore Ravens have risen above the wild NFL parity this season to dominate the league. The Ravens not only finished the 2023 regular season with 13 victories, but entering the January 7 matchups, they own a league-best plus-203 point differential. They also have a .531 strength of victory win percentage, which is best among teams currently holding a playoff spot.
The Ravens have arguably had only one problem during the 2023 regular season — the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite Baltimore’s success, the Steelers swept the Ravens in 2023 for the third time in four seasons.
But, Baltimore linebacker Patrick Queen still expressed a confidence about a potential Steelers-Ravens rematch in the postseason.
“Nobody’s hanging a head or anything, and if we see those guys again, we’ll be ready,” Queen told reporters after Week 18.
The Ravens sat several starters on January 6, including MVP front runner Lamar Jackson. But the Ravens were still trying to beat the Steelers with who was on the field in Week 18.
Behind a 10-point fourth quarter, the Steelers defeated the Ravens, 17-10.
Ravens’ Patrick Queen Focusing on Playoffs
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh made it clear during the week that his team expected a tough game versus the Steelers. Although they elected to rest starters, they aimed to beat their biggest rival to spoil their season.
The Ravens weren’t able to accomplish that goal, but Queen argued that the team must now quickly turn the page to the postseason.
“Can’t dwell on it. Even though you wanted to go out there, send them home, now they got a chance to be in the playoffs,” Queen told reporters. “So, it definitely stings a little bit, but at the end of the day, we’ve written a lot of pages in our book right now. That sets us up pretty good right now.
“So, we got a week to prepare, then find out who we gotta play, then we go into that.”
There’s a possibility that Baltimore’s first playoff foe will be Pittsburgh.
If the Steelers make the postseason, it will be as either the sixth or seventh seed in the AFC playoffs. That means a road playoff matchup for Pittsburgh on Wild Card weekend.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin owns a 2-4 road record in the postseason. But Pittsburgh ended the season with two road victories in very tough environments. If the Steelers advanced past the Wild Card round, they would likely be the lowest AFC seed remaining.
That would set up a rematch in Baltimore, who has a first-round bye as the AFC’s top seed.
The Steelers and Ravens have met four times in their postseason history. The Steelers own a 3-1 edge in those matchups, but the Ravens won the most recent meeting in January 2015.
All four of those games took place in Pittsburgh.
Playoff Scenarios for Steelers in Week 18
Beating the Ravens a third time will be very difficult for the Steelers. However, they would love the opportunity.
According to The New York Times, despite the Week 18 victory to clinch a 10-win season, there’s still a 28% chance the Steelers don’t make the postseason.
In order to clinch a playoff spot, the Steelers need either the Jacksonville Jaguars or Buffalo Bills to lose on January 7.
While Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is questionable, Jacksonville faces the 5-11 Tennessee Titans.
The Bills will play the 11-5 Miami Dolphins, but Miami could be without running back Raheem Mostert and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Those facts make a Steelers-Ravens playoff rematch far from a guarantee.
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