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Steelers Playoff Scenarios Following Chiefs Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers AFC North chances are slim heading into the final week of the season.

Noah Strackbein

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin before action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the final week of the regular season on a three-game skid and looking for answers. Only to add to their difficult situation, they'll now need some help - and a win over the Cincinnati Bengals - to claim the AFC North and earn a home playoff game in 2024.

The Steelers had an opportunity to win the division in Week 16 with a victory over the Baltimore Ravens. After a loss, they still controlled their own destiny, needing to win their final two games to win the North and claim a home playoff game.

Now, after losing to the Chiefs in Week 17 and watching the Ravens beats the Houston Texans, they head into Week 18 needing some help.

In order for the Steelers to win the AFC North, they now need to beat the Bengals at Acrisure Stadium and have the Cleveland Browns beat the Ravens. If both the Steelers and Ravens lose, Baltimore remains the AFC North winners with a better record.

The Steelers' playoff situation as a whole is now tricky. If the Denver Broncos beat the Bengals in Week 17, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh can still fall all the way to the seventh seed in the AFC.

If Pittsburgh wins in Week 18 but still loses the North, they'll claim the fifth seed, taking on the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round. An AFC North crown and the Steelers move all the way up to the third seed.

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Noah Strackbein
NOAH STRACKBEIN

Noah is the Publisher for All Steelers, Inside the Panthers (InsideThePanthers.com) and Inside the Penguins (InsidethePenguins.com), and is the host of All Steelers Talk (YouTube.com/AllSteelersTalk). A Scranton native, Noah made his way to the Pittsburgh sports scene in 2017. Now, he's pretty much full-yinzer.

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