Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched yet another winning season, they have much bigger aspirations. The same old regular season recognition starts meaning less without something to show for it. With one game left, the Steelers are looking to make the playoffs. Even though they need some outside help to make it, they firmly believe that they deserve to play meaningful January football. Despite all the doubters, the team's expectations before the season started were to make the playoffs at a bare minimum.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Lineman Cameron Heyward returns from IR in time for their Week 9 game against the Titans
After the team's Week 17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Cameron Heyward was asked about dealing with the situation as a whole: needing to win and to have some help. Heyward opted to look on the bright side and maintain the idea that the Steelers should be in the playoffs.
"You can shoot yourself in the foot and talk about your mistakes, but I'm a glass half-full type of guy. We got an opportunity, and it's the guys in the locker room that got it done. Two weeks ago, you could say we were still miles away. We'll see what we can do. I believe in the guys in the locker room, I think we have the guys to do it, but we're not gonna throw a party if we do get in the playoffs. We feel like we belong, and we just need an extra week to do it."
The Steelers have certainly made mistake after mistake. The sky was seemingly falling after three straight embarrassing losses, including back-to-back defeats against teams with two losses. If they win even one of those games, then they wouldn't need any sort of help from other organizations to get into the playoffs. However, what's done is done, and the team just needs to find a way to beat the Baltimore Ravens to have a chance to make the playoffs.
There are quite a few ways that could help the Steelers make the playoffs. Winning against Baltimore is the top priority. Both the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans are above the Steelers in the standings via tiebreaker. They play each other in Week 18, so one of them will end up losing, or they somehow tie, and the Steelers could leapfrog them both.
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Steelers receiver George Pickens tried to avoid an Indianapolis Colts defender after making a catch in their Week 15 2023 regular season matchup.
Another way is for the Miami Dolphins to win the AFC East and defeat the Buffalo Bills. Steelers would have tiebreaker over Buffalo via conference record and would take their place in the Wild Card. Buffalo winning the AFC South would mean Miami falls to the wild card, kicking the Steelers out of the playoffs. Whether they get their help or not, it will be a battle to the very last whistle of the day. Pittsburgh can also sneak in with a win and if the Tennessee Titans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Steelers Might Make The Playoffs. So What?
Even if everything goes right and the Steelers make the playoffs, that doesn't mean much. They have not won a playoff game since 2016, and that was also the last time they looked competitive in any playoff game. Mike Tomlin has started to develop a reputation of being a playoff choker, and sneaking into the playoffs as a seven seed likely won't help his cause much.
The good news is that unlike most years, every team in the AFC has an obvious flaw that could be taken advantage of. If the Steelers make the playoffs, they will most likely face the Dolphins, who have struggled all year long against quality opponents. It still won't be an easy matchup, but they might have it takes to make it an ugly, one-score game.
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T.J. Watt scops a loose ball for the first score in Pittsburgh's Wildcard lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.
The other outcome for the Steelers would be facing the Kansas City Chiefs, who are significantly weaker than the last time they faced each other in the playoffs. While one of Pittsburgh's weaknesses is in the injured secondary, the Chiefs' receiving core may be weaker. Like the Steelers in most weeks, the Chiefs have been relying on their defense a lot. Again, it won't be easy, but the Steelers should at least have a chance.
Making the playoffs is not throwing a party over. Heyward, Tomlin, and the Steelers would still need to get work done in the playoffs to consider the season a success. Anything less than at least one playoff win would be yet another failed season for the Steelers.
What do you think about Cameron Heyward's comments on the team's chances to make it to the playoffs, as well as all the different playoff scenarios for the Steelers? Let us know in the comments.
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