Category: AFC Playoff Picture

Steelers’ playoff scenarios still have one big wrinkle

The Steelers can secure the No. 5 seed with a win over the Bengals or a loss by the Chargers on Sunday.

Now that the Baltimore Ravens have beaten the Cleveland Browns, they are the champions of the AFC North, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ late-season collapse has left them with the wild card. Now the Steelers must turn their attention to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night.

If the Steelers beat the Bengals, they would lock up the No. 5 seed in the AFC. This would mean Pittsburgh would travel to Houston to take on the Texans for the first round of the playoffs. Pittsburgh is hoping to win their first playoff game since 2016 with a rebuilt offense.

But this isn’t the only scenario where the Steelers can avoid the Ravens in the first round. If the Steelers lose to Cincinnati, they still have a shot to hold onto the No. 5 seed if the Los Angeles Chargers lose on the road to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18. It might be a long shot, but it would still give them some hope should they trip up against the red-hot Bengals.

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Ravens WR Zay Flowers is still faster than Speedy Gonzales

Having come so close to the Super Bowl last year, Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers has hope in his team for the 2025 NFL playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers has his eyes on the prize headed into NFL Week 18. Flowers knows that his team has already clinched a playoff berth, and his speedy Gonzales agility will likely cause headaches for opponents who have to deal with the high-scoring Ravens offense this post-season.

However, Flowers won’t be moving too fast in his sophomore playoff effort. He will likely remember the disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 AFC Championship last season when he had a fumble he might never forget.

Heading into NFL Week 18, Flowers has already totaled 1,047 receiving yards, 73 receptions, and 14.3 yards per catch. Flowers makes his presence felt as the Ravens leading receiver, playing in an offensive strategy primarily focused on running the football with star Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Flowers doesn’t mind not getting the ball every play, but instead, it is all about relishing his opportunities.

In the Ravens’ way stand powerhouses: the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Pittsburgh Steelers, who defeated the Ravens earlier this season in November. However, neither Flowers nor his teammates are afraid to face these AFC foes. They believe they have the manpower to defeat any opponent their fate yields.

Ravens-Chargers are on a postseason collision course after LA dominates Patriots

With one week left in the season, Baltimore is trending toward hosting Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers in what should be a highly anticipated contest featuring the two brothers.

The Chargers are in the playoffs and appear to be headed to Baltimore for ‘Harbowl’ No. 2 on the season after an impressive Week 17 win.

In Jim Harbaugh’s first season as the Chargers’ head coach, he has completed a significant turnaround, and his team is peaking at the right time after the Los Angeles Chargers’ playoff berth was clinched today with a 40-7 domination of the rebuilding New England Patriots. The loss drops the Patriots to 3-13 and keeps them in contention for the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Thanks to the quick maturation of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, that pick will likely be used on Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter or an offensive tackle.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 26 of 38 passes for 281 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Baltimore (11-5) has a one-game lead in the division race over Pittsburgh (10-6). The Ravens can clinch the division with a home win over the Browns (3-12) in the regular-season finale or a Steelers loss to the Bengals (7-8).

According to ESPN, Baltimore trailed the AFC North by two games a week and a half ago and now has an 88% chance of winning the division. NextGenStats (NGS) gives them a 92% shot.

The Ravens are locked into the third seed and set to host a wild-card game. The team announced ticket information for a date to be announced at M&T Bank Stadium.

With one week left in the season, Baltimore is trending toward hosting Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers in what should be a highly anticipated contest featuring the two brothers.

Denver is currently the seventh and final seed in the AFC, setting up a nightmare scenario for the first round of the NFL playoffs. If the season ended today, the Broncos would face the Buffalo Bills (the No. 2 seed) in the Wild Card round.

Steelers may find success in 2024 playoffs despite losing streak

The Steelers’ playoff hopes may hinge on a favorable wildcard matchup against the Texans, offering a chance to regain momentum in 2024.

Although fans of the Black and Gold are preparing to hit the panic button on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ playoff aspirations, there may still be hope for a postseason victory in 2024.

If the Steelers’ season were to end today, they would be the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture and would face the fourth-seeded AFC South divisional leader, the Houston Texans.

While many are skeptical about the Mike Tomlin-led Steelers’ ability to win their first playoff game this season, the Texans could be the perfect matchup to make this dream a reality.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have all the pieces to make a deep playoff run, but one thing the team is missing is momentum. After losing three consecutive games in a 10-day span, the Steelers’ morale has hit an all-time low in 2024.

Call it wishful thinking, but a victory over the struggling 9-7 Houston Texans in the wildcard round of the playoffs could be the perfect opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to regain their confidence and position themselves for the Super Bowl run fans once believed the team could achieve.

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Steelers need a Browns-sized miracle to secure AFC North divisional title

The Steelers’ path to the AFC North crown depends on help from an unlikely ally in Week 18. Can the Browns deliver?

In moments of desperation in the AFC North, no one can argue that ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ holds true. When it comes to the bitter rivalry between the Steelers and Browns, these moments are incredibly rare, but the Black and Gold may need an assist from Cleveland in Week 18.

After the Steelers dropped to 10-6 on the season and the Ravens improved to 11-5 on Christmas Day, Pittsburgh’s last hope for the divisional crown now rests with the Browns.

If the Browns can defeat the Ravens next week and the Steelers secure a victory against the Bengals, the Steelers will be crowned AFC North champions in 2024.

Steelers fans may recall a similar situation from the 2018 season when the Browns were once again tasked with saving Pittsburgh’s postseason and divisional aspirations. Rookie Baker Mayfield was challenged with taking down rookie Lamar Jackson, but Cleveland ultimately fell short in a defeat to Baltimore.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are hopeful that the outcome between the two AFC North divisional rivals will be different in 2024, but as it stands right now, a wild card spot seems more likely for the Black and Gold.

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AFC Playoff picture: Chiefs hold a 13-7 halftime lead over Steelers

The Baltimore Ravens can control their own destiny in the AFC North if the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17

Baltimore is in Houston on Christmas Day for a critical matchup against the Texans, but the most significant gift could come from their rival Chiefs against the even bigger rival Steelers.

Kansas City scored the first two times they had the football, and after intercepting Russell Wilson in the end zone, the blowout appeared to be on. Russell Wilson’s one-yard touchdown run cut the Chiefs’ lead to 13-7 with 10:28 left to play in the first half, with Kansas City getting the ball to kick off the final 30 minutes.

A Chiefs win would drop the Steelers to 10-6 on the season. However, defeating the Texans and Browns to close the season would give the Ravens a clear path to the AFC North division title.

Wilson is 10-of-15 for 105 yards, and Patrick Mahomes is 14-of-18 for 143 yards and touchdown passes to Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson.

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Three ways the Steelers can secure the 2024 AFC North title

The Pittsburgh Steelers need any of these three scenarios to fall in their favor in order to be crowned the 2024 AFC North champions.

There is a plethora of reasons for concern with the Steelers seemingly on the verge of losing out on the opportunity to become 2024 AFC North champions.  However, there are three scenarios in which the Pittsburgh Steelers can secure the divisional title over the Baltimore Ravens.

Steelers win out vs Chiefs and Bengals

The Steelers can still control their own destiny by coming out victorious in Weeks 17 and 18. While difficult, if the Steelers defeat the Chiefs and Bengals, the Ravens will lose any opportunity to win the divisional title.

Ravens lose out vs Texans and Browns

Although incredibly unlikely, the Steelers could technically secure the AFC North crown—regardless of their performance in Weeks 17 and 18—if the Baltimore Ravens lose to both the Texans and Browns to conclude their season.

Steelers beat Bengals and Ravens lose to Browns

If the number one seeded Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Steelers, and the Ravens beat the Texans in Week 17, all hope is not lost!  The Cleveland Browns can provide the assist in defeating Baltimore, as long as the Black and Gold can defeat the Bengals in Week 18.

There are a variety of scenarios in which the Steelers can earn the right to call themselves ‘Kings of the North’, but only if the team can pull itself together after dropping two straight losses.

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Steelers should consider the playoffs over Christmas Day win

Winning in the playoffs is more important than an AFC North championship and a win over the Chiefs.

From the moment the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched a spot in the AFC playoffs, sights were set on winning the AFC North. But now, with two games left to play, a banged up Steelers team might want to look at the big picture and a more important goal.

This week the Steelers are taking on the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day on a short week and have a long list of injured players. First instinct is for the Steelers to get as many of the injured players back on the field to try and beat the top team in the AFC.

But is that really what’s important?

Even at full strength, it’s a longshot for the Steelers to get past the Chiefs who seem to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat every week. This, coupled with a huge Week 18 game against division rival the Cincinnati Bengals might prompt the team to hold back this week and make sure everyone is ready for that final game and more importantly the playoffs.

The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016  and this team at full health is more than capable of breaking that streak. It’s unlikely the Ravens will lose to the Browns in Week 18 so the Bengals game is a must-win if the AFC North is the goal. But bigger than that, finally getting that elusive playoff win must trump everything else.

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How the Ravens can beat the Steelers to the AFC North title

In spite of the result today, things are still looking better for the Pittsburgh Steelers than they are for the Baltimore Ravens. 

Saturday was, in some ways, the de facto AFC North division title game. The Pittsburgh Steelers could have clinched the division had they won, but the Baltimore Ravens prevailed, 34-17, leaving the race wide open for these final two weeks of the regular season.

Both teams are 10-5, but the Steelers are in first place via tie-breakers. Therefore, neither team can clinch in Week 17.

Either team can claim the AFC North by going 2-0, provided the other team goes 1-1 or 0-2 during the run-in.

That’s self-explanatory, but what happens if the Ravens and Steelers split their final two and thus finish 11-6?

Well, one permutation of outcomes would hand the division title to Baltimore instead of Pittsburgh.

In the early 2000s, Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne asked, “Why’d you have to go and make things so complicated?”

Because we have to; that’s our job here.

It all comes down to the divisional record tie-breaker. If both teams finish 11-6, the Steelers would have to lose at home to the Cincinnati Bengals on January 5, and Baltimore would have to win at home against the Cleveland Browns on the same Sunday.

In other words, this is coming down to the final day, but despite this weekend’s result, the Steelers still look better than the Ravens.

Week 16 Rooting Guide: Best outcomes as Ravens eye a top four seed

We’re looking at the Week 16 rooting guide for Baltimore fans as the Ravens look to move up into the top four seeds

The Ravens (9-5) are second in the AFC North and all but guaranteed to make the playoffs regardless of what happens in Week 16. Still, a loss to the Steelers and a Houston Win over Kansas City could send Baltimore sliding to the sixth seed, with a matchup against the Texans looming in Week 17.

Overall, a bad two weeks for Baltimore could put John Harbaugh’s team down as far as the seventh seed and on a collision course with Buffalo in the wild-card round.

There are ways back to the No. 3 or four seed, and that starts with a win over Pittsburgh on Sunday and some help down the stretch.

With Thursday night football quickly approaching, we’re looking at the Week 16 rooting guide for Ravens fans.

Amazon Prime Broncos (9-5) vs. Chargers (8-6)

Both teams are all but guaranteed to make the postseason and could face the Bills or Steelers in the wild-card round. We’re rooting for a Chargers upset, which would lock Baltimore into the fifth spot and put it on a collision course with Houston.

Root for Chargers

NBC, TELEMUNDO, UNIVERSO Texans (9-5) vs. Chiefs (13-1)

Houston would have to fall off the cliff and lose three straight for Indianapolis to take that No. 4 seed as the AFC North winner. Baltimore matches up well with the Texans and the Colts, so a Kansas City win is a positive.

Root for Chiefs

CBS Browns (3-11) vs. Bengals (6-8)

The Bengals (7%) currently have the lowest odds of any team still eligible for the playoffs, but this explosive offense could make noise in the postseason.

Root for Browns

CBS Patriots (3-11) vs. Bills (12-2)

Defeating the Steelers and eventually gaining control of the AFC North could put the Ravens as high as the No. 3 seed. A loss or two by the surging Bills could get Baltimore to as high as the No. 2 seed if they can win out.

Root for New England