Week 18 features several high-stakes games with massive playoff ramifications, including a battle for the AFC North title between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.
With the division title still up for grabs, that game was flexed to Sunday Night Football over other important games, including a West Coast showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Given that both of those teams have better records, some fans felt they deserved the Sunday night slot. Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger strongly disagrees, however.
“It’s the AFC North, no one cares about out west,” Roethlisberger said on his podcast earlier this week.
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After spending his entire 18-year NFL career with Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger is clearly biased towards the AFC North. However, he’s not necessarily wrong.
The Steelers and Ravens have one of the most intense rivalries in the sport. The same cannot be said for the Seahawks and 49ers. Football simply means more to AFC North fans than NFC West fans, especially this time of year.
Furthermore, there’s a playoff berth on the line in Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore. The loser goes home empty-handed.
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That’s not the case in the San Francisco vs. Seattle, where both teams are already making the postseason regardless of the outcome. A first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs are hugely important, to be sure, but the stakes just aren’t as high.
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Featured image via Michael Longo/Imagn Images