"If the NFC South got the ending it deserved, then so too did the AFC North. The division's season finale couldn't quite match the pathetic reality of two 8-9 teams sitting at home rooting for two other losing teams to send them to playoffs, but it perfectly captured that which defined this division throughout the season: the perception of prestige undermined by the cold hard reality of badly played football."
"Take a quick glance at the result of Sunday night's winner-goes-to-the-playoffs game between the Steelers and Ravens, and you might think we just saw a classic unfold. Here were the two doyens of the division locked in a battle for survival, adding a new chapter to their rivalry that concluded with the Steelers claiming a division title with a 26-24 victory that came down to the last play. Look a little closer, though, and you'll see what this game actually was-one fuck-up crashing into the next."
"First, let's acknowledge some of the good stuff that happened. Lamar Jackson, returning to the field for the first time since leaving Week 16's game with a back injury, did some nice stuff out there, and it looked like his 238-yard, three-touchdown performance was going to be enough to drag his team to the playoffs, especially when combined with Derrick Henry's 126 yards on 20 carries."
The AFC North season ended with a Steelers–Ravens game that epitomized the division's underperformance and sloppy play. The matchup looked like a classic rivalry on the surface but was characterized by repeated mistakes and poor execution. Lamar Jackson returned from injury and threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns while Derrick Henry rushed for 126 yards, yet those performances did not translate into consistent team success. The Steelers' offense started so poorly it was booed by the home crowd. Conservative quarterback play, turnovers, and missed opportunities dominated, and the game ultimately finished 26-24 on the final play amid a cascade of errors.
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