The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t exactly eliminated from the playoffs just yet. There is still a chance that they could make it into the playoffs, but they’ll need a lot of help.
First, let’s take a look at the AFC playoff picture. Here are the playoff standings heading into Week 17:
AFC playoff standings
No. 1 – (Y) Denver 12-3
No. 2 – (Y) New England 11-4
No. 3 – (Y) Cincinnati 10-5
No. 4 – (Y) Indianapolis 10-5
No. 5 – (X) Kansas City 11-4
No. 6 – Miami 8-7
In the hunt: Baltimore 8-7, San Diego 8-7, Pittsburgh 7-8
(X) – clinched playoff berth (Y) – clinched division
So the only real berth up for grabs is the No. 6 seed, and final playoff spot. With three 8-7 teams ahead of the 7-8 Steelers, they need them all to lose. Obviously the Steelers would need to defeat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday as well.
If all that happens, the Steelers will advance according to NFL.com. It is a long shot but definitely possible. The Dolphins are playing the Jets at home. The Ravens are playing the Bengals on the road, and the Chargers are hosting the Chiefs.