Steelers face Ravens in win-or-go-home clash after Shedeur Sanders, Browns upset Pittsburgh

The Cleveland Browns are having another dreadful season and won’t be in the playoffs, but their upset win over the Steelers on Sunday helped set up a win-or-go-home matchup next week between Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens.

Cleveland’s 13-6 win at home over Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers dropped Pittsburgh to 9-7, just one game ahead of 8-8 Baltimore, who beat the Packers on Saturday without an injured Lamar Jackson.

If the Ravens knock off the Steelers in Pittsburgh next Sunday, Baltimore wins the AFC North and gets a trip to the playoffs.

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) fumbles while being hit against the Browns on Dec. 28, 2025. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Steelers win, they’ll get in.

Either way, the loser’s season will be over.

The Steelers could have clinched a postseason spot on Sunday with a victory over the Browns — who entered the game having dropped four straight games and seven of their previous eight — but will now have to figure out a way in the final week of the season after seeing a three-game winning streak snapped.

They were without T.J. Watt on defense, but the absence of wide receiver DK Metcalf, serving the first of his two-game suspension for striking a Detroit Lions fan during a game last week in Detroit, was even more damaging against the Browns.

The Steelers were limited to a pair of Chris Boswell field goals, while the Shedeur Sanders-led Browns did just enough on offense to hold off Pittsburgh.

Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs from Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) on Dec. 28, 2025. AP

Pittsburgh had a chance to tie — or perhaps win — the game in the final moments, but the Steelers didn’t score after having a first-and-goal at the 10 with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter.

Their last play was an incomplete pass from Rodgers to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Rodgers wanted defensive pass interference on the play, which would have given the Steelers a first down from the one, but it wasn’t called, and the Browns ran out the clock.