Justin Robertson
After a 1-5 start, the Ravens are one win away from returning to the dance.
With a playoff spot on the line, the winner of "Sunday Night Football" between the Ravens and Steelers will claim the AFC North title and the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs.
While all attention for both teams will be geared toward the battle in Pittsburgh, the AFC North winner's playoff opponent will be decided before kickoff. Those possible opponents are the Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers, or Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here are the possible Wild Card matchups in order from most likely to least likely for the Ravens,according to NFL.com.
Houston Texans (68%)
The Texans would land in the No. 5 seed with a win over the Colts and a Jaguars win over the Titans,ora loss, a Bills loss to the Jets, and a Chargers loss to the Broncos.
If one of those scenarios plays out, the Texans would make their second trip to M&T Bank Stadium this season after crushing an injury-ravaged Ravens team, 44-10, in Week 5. Baltimore was without several of its top stars in that loss, including Lamar Jackson, Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith, and Ronnie Stanley.
Houston can still win the AFC South and avoid a road game in the first round if it defeats the Colts and the Jaguars lose to the Titans.
Buffalo Bills (21%)
The Ravens' second most-likely opponent would be a rematch of last year's AFC divisional playoffs, when the Bills held on late to win, 27-25.
Currently sitting in the No. 7 spot, Buffalo can move up to No. 5 with a win, a Texans loss, and a Chargers loss,ora win, a Texans win, a Jaguars loss, and a Chargers loss.
The New England Patriots have already clinched the AFC East, meaning Buffalo will be a Wild-Card team no matter how Week 18 shakes out.
Jacksonville Jaguars (6%)
The Jaguars have a lot at stake this weekend, as they could climb all the way up to the No. 1 seed or drop all the way to the No. 6 seed.
There are several scenarios that would end with Jacksonville taking the trip north to Baltimore. Most require the Titans to upset the Jaguars on the road, a Texans win, and a Bills loss.
There's also a scenario where Houston, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Chargers, and Buffalo are all 12-5. The No. 5 seed would then be decided between the Jaguars and Chargers based on strength of victory.
The Jaguars can claim the No. 1 seed with a win over the Titans, a Broncos loss to the Chargers, and a Patriots loss to the Dolphins.
Los Angeles Chargers (5%)
The least likely opponent for the Ravens if they win is a Harbaugh Bowl between John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh.
That outcome would require the Chargers, without Justin Herbert, to defeat the Broncos, who are playing for the No. 1 seed. That win, plus a Texans loss to the Colts, would put Los Angeles in the fifth seed.
