BALTIMORE _ As chaos unfolded across the NFL on Sunday, a Week 17 brew of craziness spilling from Massachusetts to Texas, the brightest star on the league's best team sat on the bench Sunday afternoon, smiling, staying warm.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens had earned that privilege, the right to kick back, relax and rest up as all but a few of the NFL's 31 other teams battled for something _ a playoff berth, a chance at history, a better (or worse) slot in next year's NFL draft order. There was not much on the line in Baltimore, not for the AFC North champions anyway.
The Ravens had already clinched home-field advantage through the conference playoffs and a first-round bye. There was nothing the Pittsburgh Steelers could do that would change that. But coach John Harbaugh had made clear that the priority in Sunday's regular-season finale Sunday was still winning. Not even a sideline full of resting starters would keep the Ravens from doing that.
With a 28-10 win at M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens extended their franchise-record winning streak to 12 games and reached 14 wins for the first time in history, too. They will enter the postseason as Super Bowl favorites, by far the league's hottest and most complete team.
On Sunday, all they could be was a spoiler _ again. In Week 17 last season, the Ravens' nail-biting home win over the Cleveland Browns denied Pittsburgh a playoff appearance for the first time since 2013. After a stunning loss to the New York Jets in Week 16, the Steelers (8-8) entered the regular season's final week needing a win and help.
They got neither. The Tennessee Titans, who entered Sunday with a hold on the AFC's second wild-card bid, beat the Houston Texans, 35-14, to punch their playoff ticket. And Pittsburgh _ well, the Steelers have had better teams.
Even with Jackson a spectator and running back Mark Ingram II recovering from a Week 16 calf injury, the Ravens pounded the ball like they've become accustomed to. The Ravens finished with 223 rushing yards, easily clearing the 93 they needed to break the New England Patriots' 1978 team record of 3,165 yards.
Gus Edwards finished with 21 carries for 130 yards, his career high reached without the help of Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley and Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda, both inactive.
Robert Griffin III, making his first start in three years, was the caretaker the Ravens needed him to be. He finished 11-for-21 for 96 yards and an interception and added eight carries for 50 yards. With Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews inactive and wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown's playing time limited, tight end Hayden Hurst had two catches for 35 yards, and wide receiver Willie Snead IV added three for 22 yards.
That was enough with a snarling defense that held Pittsburgh to 168 total yards. The Ravens blitzed rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges like there was a bounty on him. He finished 9-for-25 for 95 yards and a 47.9 rating and was guilty of intentional grounding in the end zone, which gave the Ravens their final two points.
Top wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was held to two catches for 6 yards. Running back Benny Snell Jr., starting in place of the injured James Conner, had 18 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Kicker Justin Tucker finished 4-for-4 Sunday, nailing field goals from 45, 22, 42, and 47 yards and single-handedly outscoring the Steelers.
