The Browns (7-7-1) face the Ravens (9-6) Sunday in the 2018 NFL regular season finale, and Steelers fans will have their eyes locked on the matchup.
For the Steelers to make the playoffs, they need two things to happen. First, the Steelers need to defeat the Bengals (6-9) Sunday at Heinz Field. Then, they need the Browns to take out the Ravens.
Another scenario in which the Steelers win and the Colts and Titans play to a tie would also put the Steelers into the playoffs, but that is unlikely at best.
In all likelihood, the Steelers' playoff chances hinge on the Browns beating the Ravens, making that a can't-miss showdown for Steelers fans across the globe.
Speaking to media Wednesday, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and interim head coach Gregg Williams discussed the team's upcoming matchup vs. the Ravens, their midseason turnaround, and much more.
On Ravens defense: "Obviously, it's been a top defense in the league for years, but they're playing really, really well right now — playing as a unit. They're kind of all on the same page, able to do a lot of things out of the same personnel and just give different looks. They don't just have one thing they do very well. They do it all."
On differences from first matchup: "I think they're more on the same page. They have veterans at every single position — different levels, but they're all on the same page. They've been communicating and executing well. It looks like they're having fun playing defense because they're playing as a unit, playing together for each other."
On heated rivalry atmosphere: "This is the first, I think, playoff atmosphere game that our guys will see. Denver was a great, primetime game. But this is a big one. They're playing for a playoff spot and we're playing to prove who we are. As I said last week, we gotta win the last few games, and right now, we're focused on the Ravens, so it'll be a great atmosphere...Obviously, to spoil somebody else's playoff hopes, that's motivation too."
On Browns turnaround: "We take care of business Sunday hopefully, that's 4-1-1 in our division this year. That's pretty much a really good turnaround from the past years, so that's the way we want it to be."
On putting in extra work for this game: "When you play a great defense like the Ravens, you gotta execute. You gotta do the little things right... You mentioned taking care of the ball, realizing you're not going to have as many series on offense, you gotta take advantage of the opportunity... Starting out fast against this team is very, very important, so there's definitely going to be an emphasis on that this week."
On Lamar Jackson: "(He's) talented. Very, very naturally talented, a guy that can change the game in one play. If you don't contain him, he'll hurt you with his legs, but I think the thing he doesn't get enough credit for is how good of a passer he really is, how he's able to put the ball in his teammates' hands. His play, he's not going to run just to run even though they have some designed zone reads and stuff like that, but when it comes to passing, he's not going to try to run around and run the ball. He wants to distribute it. He wants to get it out of his hands and get it into his playmakers' hands. He's a game-changer."
Who do you think Browns fans dislike more: Ravens or Steelers? "Steelers. Steelers. But I don't know... We have a lot of Steelers fans becoming Browns fans this weekend, so..."
On Mayfield vs. top-ranked Ravens defense: "Those are good things, maybe in the postseason, to evaluate, but we really think about that each and every week. And then you can do all the comparisons and the rankings and all that kind of stuff later on. We do understand how good they have been and how good we have to be."
Mayfield voted Browns Player of the Year: "I think it's very positive, and I think those are the type of things your supreme leader is supposed to be able to do, and don't discount that that's not what he's been able to do for all of his life — whatever level the young man's played at."
On Browns' improvements: "Every week becomes a new thing that you have to do because the opponent's new, the skill set of the opponent, the skill set of the space play, but we're still tackling very well. We had a couple of those games where we didn't, and at this time of the year, sometimes that slacks off with other teams. We take that personally — should not slack off no matter what."
On intensity of Ravens matchup: "Remember this — and I'm going to answer this for the 19th time — when I have to worry about that, the best thing I do is tell people upstairs who doesn't belong. It's time to play, and it doesn't make any difference what game it is. This is how we have to play. This is a division opponent. People say they have more on the line than us. Really? You're interviewing every single day, so don't put something on film (you're not proud of). You want an owner to buy stock in that performance? In you? We gotta play."
On Lamar Jackson: "He's got another gear. There's similarities between him and Deshaun (Watson). He's not as big as Cam (Netwon) and some of the other guys, but he has that elusiveness. That's part of the plan on how we try to negate that as much as possible... Don't disregard his arm strength. He can throw it a long way too. They do a lot of good jobs in the run game, especially the play-action run game."