The Baltimore Ravens have a one-game lead in this race and will therefore determine their own fate before heading into the season finale against Cleveland. All they have to do is beat the same Browns team that upset them on October 27th. If Baltimore somehow falters, the Steelers can clinch the crown with a win over Cincinnati (Pittsburgh has the tiebreaker advantage in this scenario). It may be tempting to wonder if the Browns could pull off another upset, but a lot has changed for all teams involved in this conversation. For one thing, the Ravens’ defense is far better than it was in the first game, when Browns quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns. Hell, Winston has deteriorated so much that he doesn’t even start for Cleveland anymore. The Steelers also have their own offensive problems. They have scored a combined 40 points in their last three games – all losses – and looked weak on that side of the ball in a 29-10 loss to Kansas City on Christmas. The Bengals scored 38 points in a loss to Pittsburgh earlier this season. It’s hard to imagine that Pittsburgh can keep up with this level of explosiveness in this competition. The Steelers are simply going in the wrong direction. The Ravens, on the other hand, are on the rise at exactly the right time.