For those who watched the Survivor finale last night, and what I’m assuming was the biggest upset in the history of reality television, all I can say is wow. For the last several years, Survivor has captured a formula, which has me at least, walking away saying, “that was the craziest season ever.” The NFL and the Ravens in particular seem to have found that formula over the last few years too.

Live long enough, and you’re bound to see anything I suppose. That couldn’t be truer in any aspect of life as it is in sports. Some would say that the best reason to watch sports is because in any given game, or season, you’re bound to see something that you’ve never seen before, or even thought of.

Survivor runner-up Russell Hantz

This season, it would seem, that the parity that the NFL and its fans have grown used to touting has given way to mediocrity, in the AFC at least. And for the Ravens, the timing probably couldn’t have been better.

As improbable as it may have seemed just a few weeks ago, or historically for that matter, the 8-6 Ravens will travel to Pittsburgh this week and face the 7-7 Steelers, with both teams holding onto different levels of playoff hopes. In fact, as week 16 approaches, it seems there are only 4 teams in the jumbled AFC playoff race that can count themselves completely out. And as evidenced over the last few weeks, the Bills, Raiders, Chiefs and Browns aren’t ready to ride off into the sunset quietly just yet.

The help that the Ravens received from the Colts, Titans, Patriots and Raiders this week has to be seen as a blessing, as it’s left the team in control of their own destiny. But leaves the AFC playoff picture as muddled as I can remember since the strike season of 1987.

There are few if any who believed, that with or without their own playoff hopes on the line, Pittsburgh wouldn’t have been amped on Sunday to rain on the Ravens’ parade, and squash their playoff hopes. But with their own flickering playoff hopes still in the balance, the Steelers will be loaded for bear as they say, on Sunday. (If the Steelers had actually been loaded for bear when they played the Bears, or Raiders or Browns for that matter, this one could have even more in the balance.)

The Steelers, for their part, seem to be going through a 2002 Patriots like transition. Remember that Bellichick’s bunch narrowly missed the playoffs following their first title, and in the process seemed to begin their transition from a smash mouth, defense oriented team, to wide-open offensive juggernaut. Looking at the numbers that they’ve put up in the passing game this season, and yesterday’s curious decision to onsides kick and keep the defense off the field if possible, the Steelers are moving in that direction. And given the state of the Ravens’ defensive backfield, it could set up well for the Steelers on Sunday.

Still, as bleak as things seemed around here just a few short weeks ago, given a scenario where 2 wins gets you into the playoffs is music to the ears of a Ravens fan. And in a season where we’ve been forced to root for the Colts, Titans and Patriots to advance our own playoff aspirations, a little music to our ears is long overdue.

For all intents and purposes, the playoffs started for the Ravens 2 weeks ago, but even as those games approached, we were all looking ahead to this week’s showdown in Pittsburgh. And the Ravens, and the rest of the AFC did their part to make it happen. As bad as the Ravens have been at times this season, their playoffs probably should begin on the road.

Let’s not forget too, that the Raiders have already dampened the playoff hopes of Pittsburgh, and Denver this season, plus boast wins over the Eagles and Bengals. They also played a big part in spoiling the playoff hopes of the Jets, Broncos and Bucs last year.

There are no gimmes in the NFL, especially this season. Once you get to the dance, anything can happen, even for the Colts. Don’t believe me? Just ask Survivor’s Russell.