Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff Scenarios: Steelers Need Help To Make NFL Playoffs

Football

Pittsburgh Steelers playoff scenarios are pretty simple this season. The updated Pittsburgh Steelers playoff scenarios revolve around two games, with the outcome of one having the most importance. Two 1 p.m. ET games in Week 17 will decide the fates of the Steelers and New York Jets. In the updated NFL standings, the Steelers and Jets are the last two AFC teams battling to make it into the NFL Playoffs.

The Jets vs. Bills game takes place in Buffalo, with some cold weather expected for the players. The forecast for Sunday, January 3 includes snow and temperatures below freezing. If the Jets can win the game and improve to 11-5 on the season, the team will clinch a wild card spot and make the AFC Playoffs. The Jets already lost at home to the Bills in Week 10, though, giving Steelers fans something to hinge their hopes on in Week 17.

The Pittsburgh Steelers playoff scenarios get pretty simply if the Jets lose to the Bills. All the Steelers have to do at that point is beat the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are one of the teams battling for the worst record in the league and a No. 1 selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Steelers beat the Browns once this season already, easily defeating them at home in Week 10. This second match-up is more important, though, as everything is now on the line.

Big Ben Against The Ravens
If the New York Jets lose and the Steelers win in Week 17, then the Steelers will clinch the No. 6 seed in the 2016 AFC Playoffs. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the possible first-round opponent for the Steelers hasn’t been decided either. The team could face the Denver Broncos or Cincinnati Bengals depending on how those two teams do in Week 17. If the Broncos beat the San Diego Chargers, they become the No. 2 seed, keeping the Bengals at No. 3. If the Broncos lose and the Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens, then the two teams would swap.

Heading into Week 16, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ playoff scenarios were also very simple for the team. All the Steelers had to do was win their final two games and the team would be guaranteed a wild card spot in the AFC Playoffs. The Steelers went into Baltimore and lost a big game to the Ravens, though, possibly costing the team a playoff spot this year. While the Ravens aren’t even close to making the postseason, the team found a way to sweep the Steelers this season.

After losing Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell for most of the season and missing Ben Roethlisberger for four starts, the Steelers still might be able to sneak into the NFL Playoffs. Bell appeared in only six games this season, rushing for 556 yards and catching 24 balls for another 136 yards through the air. Bell was almost seamlessly replaced by DeAngelo Williams, who has posted 899 rushing yards, 354 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns this season. Fantasy football owners that invested in Williams saw a lot of rewards during the regular season.

Big Ben Against Ravens
The updated Week 17 odds have the New York Jets favored by three points over the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 11 points over the Cleveland Browns. The odds are now stacked against the Steelers making it into the NFL Playoffs, even though the team could finish the regular season with a 10-6 record. With both games taking place at the same time on January 3, there will be a lot of scoreboard watching by Steelers fans and players. With both games broadcast by CBS, it will be tough for fans to tune in to both games on television.

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