The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for what could be their final football game until August. The 2023 regular season will officially be over late on Sunday night and all playoff teams and matchups will be decided at that point. Mike Tomlin is hoping his team will be playing in the postseason, but that's far from a guarantee.
The Steelers shot themselves in the foot with three straight losses against the Cardinals, Patriots, and Colts to open the month of December. Since then, Pittsburgh has won two straight road games with QB Mason Rudolph at the helm, and they have given themselves a shot to crack the playoffs.
Pittsburgh could skyrocket their playoff hopes with a big win against their most heated division rival this week. Here's how you can be sure to catch the game.
What channel is the Steelers vs. Ravens game on in Week 18?
The Steelers vs. Ravens game is the first contest that will take place in Week 18. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The date and time of this contest were originally 'to be decided', but with playoff implications on the line for Pittsburgh, the NFL slotted this game in the late-afternoon window on Saturday.
While this might not be ideal for some, the good news is that this will be a nationally broadcast game. You can watch the Steelers vs. Ravens game nationally on ABC or ESPN. If you don't have access to cable or these channels, you can stream the game for free on ESPN. You can also stream with subscriptions to NFL+ or Sling TV, but we recommend using FuboTV (blackout restrictions may apply).
What to watch for in Steelers vs. Ravens game
The Steelers vs. Ravens game will be headlined by the resting players of Baltimore in this contest. It has already been confirmed that the Ravens will be without star QB Lamar Jackson, and many other starters (like WR Zay Flowers, WR Odell Beckham Jr., and CB Marlon Humphrey) will be joining him on the sidelines.
Mason Rudolph is looking for his third straight impressive performance. After his offense scored at least 30 points in each of the past two games, he has a chance to lead the Steelers to their first three-game stretch of 30-plus points since this team did so eight years ago in 2015 with players like Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, and Martavis Bryant.
Baltimore has already claimed the number one seed in the AFC, so getting healthy for the playoffs is more important than playing banged up against their division rival. Because the Ravens will be missing so many players today, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a big competitive edge, and they need to take advantage of it.