Two games in the AFC North kick off the final week.
The final week of the 2024 regular season kicks off with a Saturday doubleheader featuring all four AFC North teams — highlighted by the division title being on the line and the Bengals hoping to keep their playoff odds alive.
Check down below to see Pats Pulpit’s picks tonight and head to the comment section to further discussion tonight’s Thursday night action.
Patriots rooting guide
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens: Go Browns! Bailey Zappe picking up Cleveland’s fourth win of the year would eliminate them from jumping New England in the draft order. | 4:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers: Go Steelers! While the Bengals need to win to keep their playoff odds alive, a Cincinnati loss would help the Patriots strength of schedule. | 8:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN
Patriots picks
Oliver Thomas: Old friend Bailey Zappe will get the start for a 3-13 Browns team that sent Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong Jr. and David Njoku to injured reserve on the eve of Saturday’s kickoff. Meanwhile, the Ravens have won games by 21, 17 and 29 points since the bye week. Now John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson & Co. stand one win away from clinching the AFC North as well as the No. 3 seed. At M&T Bank Stadium. | Ravens 27, Browns 10
The 8-8 Bengals are going to need help in Week 18. But it’s four straight wins going on the road against a Steelers team that’s lost three straight. And I don’t think Joe Burrow, standing with 15 touchdowns, 1,613 yards and a completion rate of 75 percent since the start of December, has gotten this far just to get this far. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, in what could be their last game together, haven’t either. | Bengals 31, Steelers 24
Brian Hines: It’s Zappe hour in Baltimore as the former Patriots quarterback will be behind center for Cleveland to end the season. Zappe should be better than DTR, but still will have to face the Ravens starters as a Baltimore win secures them the division. That will also mean having to keep pace with Lamar Jackson. | Ravens 26, Browns 13
The odds are slim, but somehow odds remain for Joe Burrow and the Bengals to sneak into the playoffs. They will be big Carson Wentz fans in Kansas City to dethrone to Broncos while they need Snoop Huntley to lose in Miami. And most of all, they need a win Saturday night over the Steeler, who have been trending in the wrong direction. Assuming the Ravens secure the AFC North earlier, Pittsburgh will also have nothing to play for in this one. | Bengals 31, Steelers 23
If you’re looking to make your own pick on the game, head over to FanDuel.