BALTIMORE — The Pittsburgh Steelers could have taken the easy route to their first division title since 2020. Instead, they likely have more work to do.
Saturday’s 34-17 defeat to the Ravens kept Baltimore alive to defend as AFC North champion and moved it into a tie with the Steelers for first place.
But the Steelers (10-5) still will claim the division title if they win their final two games, both at home — the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday and the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season finale.
“The biggest thing is we want to be standing in the end, and it’s not the end yet,” quarterback Russell Wilson said. “Everything we desire and have been working towards is still here in front of us.”
With a win, the Ravens (10-5) clinched a playoff berth and capped a seven-day stretch in which they erased a two-game deficit in the division race. Still, because of tiebreakers, Baltimore needs to make up one more game to claim the division title and accompanying first-round home game.
Though it won’t be easy considering Kansas City (14-1) is the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion, the Steelers control their fate: win their final two, and they will get the coveted “hats and T-shirts” that commemorate a division championship.
“That’s what we’ve got to do,” outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said. “We have to flush this (loss) quick. The next game will be here before we know it, so we just have to handle business at home and do what we have to do.”