Lamar Jackson is back for the Baltimore Ravens, but new injuries loom as the Pittsburgh Steelers host their rivals Sunday night in a winner-take-all AFC North clash. Building on initial preview coverage, here are the latest developments ahead of the January 4, 2026, kickoff at Acrisure Stadium.
The stakes remain sky-high: winner claims the AFC North title and No. 7 AFC playoff seed; loser goes home. Pittsburgh (9-7) follows a 13-6 loss to Cleveland amid DK Metcalf's suspension and Darnell Washington's season-ending injury. Baltimore (8-8) rides momentum from a 41-24 win over Green Bay, where Derrick Henry rushed for 216 yards and four TDs on 36 carries—his NFL-record seventh 200-yard game. The Ravens top the league with 2,525 rushing yards.
Key updates: Jackson returns from a back contusion that sidelined him last week, despite reduced mobility (63 rushes in 12 games). Steelers edge T.J. Watt rejoins after missing three games with a lung issue. New Ravens absences: WR Rashod Bateman (illness), DT Taven Bryan (out); CB Marlon Humphrey is questionable (illness).
Pittsburgh's defense, which yielded 217 rush yards to Baltimore in Week 14, has allowed just 156 over the last three games. Tomlin's plan vs. Henry: "Minimize his downhill running lanes... We’d better do a good job of winning the line of scrimmage."
On offense, Aaron Rodgers targets a Ravens secondary using man coverage 30.5% of snaps (sixth-most); Pittsburgh eyes Baltimore's weakness to RB receptions (third-most allowed at 81). Steelers LB Patrick Queen emphasized incentives: playoff checks for teammates.
Analysts favor Baltimore by 4 points (O/U 41.5). Red-zone efficiency could decide it—Pittsburgh converted 0-of-5 recently—amid the storied rivalry.