Heading into Week 17, there remained a small likelihood that the Pittsburgh Steelers may win the AFC North and climb to the No. 3 seed within the AFC. With the Houston Texans’ win this afternoon, that’s now not attainable. For the Steelers, it’s No. 4 seed or nothing.
Their path to the No. 3 seed concerned the Steelers successful each of their subsequent two video games towards the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens to complete the 12 months at 11-6. From there, they wanted each the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans to lose out to complete at 11-6 and 10-7 respectively. The Steelers would have the convention document tiebreaker over the Jaguars in that situation.
The Texans now have a convention document of 9-2 with one recreation remaining in comparison with the Steelers at 7-3 with two video games remaining. If the Texans lose their closing recreation towards the Indianapolis Colts and the Steelers win out, they’d each be 9-3 within the convention, which bumps the tiebreaker all the way down to document towards frequent opponents.
The Steelers and Texans each have the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Payments, Indianapolis Colts, and Los Angeles Chargers on their 2025 schedules. Together with the division opponents twice, that’s six complete frequent video games. The Texans are 4-1 whereas the Steelers are 2-3, every with only one frequent opponent remaining on the schedule. The Texans take that tiebreaker irrespective of which method you slice it.
That’s the nitty gritty particulars of it, however all you’ll want to know is the Steelers’ solely path to the playoffs is thru the No. 4 seed. They had been eradicated from Wild Card competition final week as a result of that may require them to lose the division, which implies dropping the following two video games.
With the No. 4 seed, the Steelers would host their first playoff recreation for the reason that 2020 season, however they’d be doing so towards the highest Wild Card staff. Oftentimes the No. 5 seed Wild Card staff has a greater document than the No. 4 seed as a result of division winners are assured one of many high 4 spots. If the Steelers make it, that may nearly actually be the case right here with all 4 potential Wild Card groups already having 11 wins.
Now consideration shifts absolutely as to whether or not the Steelers make it. The primary alternative begins proper now with a Saturday night recreation between the Baltimore Ravens and Inexperienced Bay Packers. If the Ravens lose or tie, the Steelers are in. No matter their final result, if the Steelers win or tie on Sunday towards the Cleveland Browns, they’re additionally in because the No. 4 seed.
