Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers sinking ship receives life preserver from AFC foe

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Rob Gregson | Last updated Dec 12, 2023 11:03 AM ET

Following a two-game stretch that will likely go down as the worst of Mike Tomlin's tenure, the sky was falling in Pittsburgh.

Team leaders were visibly upset, budding stars were disgruntled, and the team had fallen out of playoff contention.

But following a weekend that saw multiple AFC foes go down, the Steelers just received a major boost heading into a pivotal matchup:

AFC playoff picture if the season ended today:

Baltimore Ravens (10-3) - 1st AFC North
Miami Dolphins (9-4) - 1st AFC East
Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) - 1st AFC West
Jacksonville Jaguars (8-5) - 1st AFC South
Cleveland Browns (8-5) - Wild Card
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) - Wild Card
Indianapolis Colts (7-6) - Wild Card

In the hunt:

Following Thursday's loss, the Steelers fell to the eighth seed in the AFC and behind the Texans who own the tiebreaker over Pittsburgh thanks to their early season win.

But a loss from the Colts, (even if it came from the Bengals) along with a Texans loss via the Jets has Pittsburgh dropping only one spot compared to last week's playoff picture.

Will the Steelers make the playoffs?

The Steelers have seen a tremendous drop in their playoff odds when analyzing the NYT playoff simulator. The team had a 78% chance of making the postseason two weeks ago then a 54% chance following the Cardinals' loss.

Well, after another disappointing loss against a team that was officially eliminated, the simulator has Pittsburgh likely to join the Pats on the couch, giving the Steelers a mere 25% chance of making the postseason.

Can Pittsburgh win the AFC North?

The Steelers already had desperately low odds to win the division last week at a mere 7%. But with a Ravens win on Sunday, any chance of taking back the crown in the North is all but gone, as the team has a less than 1% chance of winning the division.