The NFL saved the prime-est of its prime-time TV lineup for the final game of the regular season Sunday.

The season could hardly end on a more dramatic note, with the AFC North and NFC North champions to be determined over the final two days.

The AFC North will winner will be determined Saturday, when the division-leading Baltimore Ravens (11-5) and the second-place Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) play home games within hours of each other.

Both are assured of playoff spots, and Baltimore will win the division with a victory over Cleveland. The Steelers hold the tiebreaker over the Ravens, and they will win the division with a victory over Cincinnati and a Baltimore loss. The Steelers’ game also has wild card implications, because the Bengals would get the last AFC playoff spot with a win and losses by Denver and Miami.

All leading to the finale. The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, both 14-2, will end the season in what could be considered the game of the year. Only AFC No. 1 seed Kansas City (15-1) has a better record, and the rematch comes with huge stakes.

The Detroit-Minnesota winner will earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC, a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Its first game would be at home against the lowest-remaining seed, inasmuch as the NFL reseeds the field after every round.

Because of the NFL playoff format, the loser will tumble all the way to the No. 5 seed and a first-round playoff game on the road, against either the Los Angeles Rams or the NFC South winner, Tampa Bay or Atlanta. The Buccaneers (9-7) will clinch the division with a win or a tie against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday or a loss by the Falcons (8-8), who own the tie-breaker.

Let the games begin:

SATURDAY AFTERNOON

Cleveland Browns (3-13) vs Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

How to watch: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, 4:30 pm ET

Key matchup: Derrick Henry vs Browns D

Early line: Ravens -19 1/2, up from -17 1/2

The Ravens are favored by as many as 20 1/2 points in some quarters — the largest point spread in the NFL since Arizona beat Houston 31-5 as a 20 1/2-point favorite in 2020. Baltimore looks to avenge a 29-24 loss in Cleveland on Oct. 27, a game that was decided when Jameis Winston threw the last of his three touchdown passes with 59 seconds remaining. It could be considered the biggest upset in the league this year.

Ravens’ MVP candidate Lamar Jackson will have one more chance to burnish his resume in his run for a second consecutive MVP award and third of his career. Jackson’s 121.6 passer rating is nearing Aaron Rodgers’ league season record of 122.5 in 2011.

Henry will look for his ninth 100-yard rushing game of the season, with a cherry on top. If he scores a touchdown, he will trigger a $500,000 bonus with his 15th score. Henry already has netted $1.5 million in bonus money this season.

Winston will not play because of an injury, and the line moved even more toward Baltimore when Browns announced that Bailey Zappe will start. Zappe, a former New England reserve, has not played a game this season. Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett is tied for the league lead with 14 sacks.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)

How to watch: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, 8 pm

Key matchup: Joe Burrow vs Pittsburgh D

Early line: Bengals -2 1/2

The Steelers will know by kickoff if they have a chance to win the NFC North title, although the chances seem infinitesimal given the likelihood of a Baltimore victory in the early game. That would free the Steelers to limit playing time for quarterback Russell Wilson and other starters inasmuch as finishing second in the division means a wild card playoff game on the road next weekend. Wilson threw for 414 yards in a 44-38 victory in Cincinnati on Dec. 1.

A Baltimore victory might make it a little easier for the Bengals, who have a puncher’s chance for the seventh and final AFC wild card berth. To advance, the Bengals must beat Pittsburgh and have both Denver and Miami lose Sunday. The Broncos are big home favorites over the Chiefs, who are expected to rest most of their big names. Miami plays at the New York Jets in he same afternoon time slot as the Kansas City-Denver game.

Burrow is having a spectacular season, one in what in many other years would earn him the MVP. He has thrown for a league-high 4,641 yards and 42 touchdowns while completing 69.8 percent of his passes. Bengals coach Zac Taylor knows what he has — Burrow also leads the league in passing attempts and completions.

Burrow has thrown for at least 250 yards and three touchdowns in the last eight games, an NFL record.

SUNDAY NIGHT

Minnesota Vikings (14-2) vs Detroit (14-2)

How to watch: NBC/Peacock, 8:20 pm

Key matchup: Sam Darnold vs Jared Goff

Early line: Lions -2 1/2

This game is historic even before it starts. It is the first between teams who have at least 13 victories apiece and a combined 28 victories, a stat that is tarnished slightly by the fact that this is only the fourth season that NFL teams have played 17 games.

Both Goff and Darnold have led offenses that get up and go. The Lions lead the league with 33.3 points per game and are second to Baltimore with 410.5 yards per. They have averaged 37.5 points in their last four games, although one was a 48-42 loss to Buffalo in which their injury-depleted defense gave up a season-high 559 yards.

Despite a five-interception game, Goff ranks second in the league in passer rating, sandwiched between No. 1 Jackson and Joe Burrow. The Lions’ offensive weapons are so multiple and varied that they have absorbed the loss of halfback David Montgomery well.

Darnold is having the season of his life. The third player taken in 2018 draft by the New York Jets, Darnold stepped in when rookie starter J.J. McCarthy was injured in the preseason and has thrown for 4,153 yards, more than 1,000 more than in his best previous season.

Jake Bates’ 15-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining gave the Lions a 31-29 victory Oct. 20. Jahmyr Gibbs had 116 yards rushing and two touchdowns and Amon-Ra St. Brown had 112 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, Aaron Jones had 93 yards rushing, and he and Justin Jefferson had touchdowns.

DETROIT (WXYZ) — We all know Detroit has plenty of lifelong Lions fans, but some choose to make their pride permanent.

Matt Pauli learned a little about what it means to have skin in the game.

“I decided it was about time for me to get something to represent the Lions,” Pauli said.

After the Lions’ recent win streak, he decided to pay Tatt Ma’am Tattoos in Mount Clemens a visit.

Tattoo artist Danielle Trump says she came up with the idea after seeing the viral can of Dan Campbell soup online.

“We are just in awe over Dan Campbell and what he’s helped the Lions accomplish,” Trump said.

Related video: CultureDet’s custom T-shirts catch the eyes of Lions’ players and fans

CultureDet’s flaming Detroit Lions shirts catching eyes of fans and players

The tattoo artist of 15 years just opened up her own shop in Mount Clemens just under a year ago. She’s done plenty of Detroit sports tattoos.

“This one definitely has to take the top spot,” Trump said. “The spirit of the Lions — whether we’re winning whether we’re losing — our fan base is hard core, you know, ride or die.”

The team’s grit has also inspired Pauli to get through a new phase in life: living on his own. He’s had more than 30 surgeries and lived with Crouzon syndrome, a genetic disorder.

“Throughout my life, I’ve been through so much hardship, so much disappointment, so much grief,” Pauli said. “I’ve been trying to venture out and find my life.”

He says he’s never missed a game and doesn’t plan to, win or lose.

In a scenario where the Detroit Pistons decide to roll the dice on a win-now acquisition through the trade market, the Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler could be an option.

When Butler’s name initially reached the trade rumor mill, it was suggested there were only a handful of teams he was open to playing for. To no surprise, the Pistons were not on that list.

After a Heat loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night, Butler was straightforward about where he’s at mentally while playing for the Heat. The All-Star wants out.

“I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball,” Butler told reporters. “Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon, but I want to get my joy back. I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to someone dominant, I want to hoop, and I want to help this team win. Right now, I’m not doing that.”

Where is he willing to go? Apparently, anywhere else.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Butler officially requested a trade this week. Unlike most stars today, Butler does not have a list of preferred destinations to put in front of Miami’s decision-makers.

“He is open to playing anywhere other than Miami and believes he can make any team a contender, no matter where he is moved,” Charania reports.

It appears that Butler would be open to joining the Pistons—along with 28 other teams.

Acquiring a star player while hovering around the Play-In would be a gamble for Detroit.

Landing a star player, who is likely a half-season rental at this point, would be like playing the lottery.

Butler’s experience and skillset would undoubtedly help the young team’s potential postseason push, especially with Cade Cunningham’s co-star Jaden Ivey suffering a long-term injury earlier this week.

But the Pistons have to keep reality in check. They might be ready for the playoffs, but they aren’t a Butler away from landing in championship contention.

Weeks ago, it was made clear that Butler has intentions of declining his looming player option for next season this summer so he can become a free agent and reset his own market.

According to Charania, the situation remains the same.

“Teams have been informed that Butler intends to decline his 2025-26 player option and become a free agent in July, sources said.”

If the Pistons want Butler bad enough, they can pursue him next summer without giving up any assets now. Seeing as though Trajan Langdon isn’t in a championship-or-bust position with his job, the Pistons will continue operating like a team more on the rebuilding side.

With that said Butler is still a name to keep an eye on. While the Pistons might not join his current trade market, his recent request could shake up the Eastern Conference.