2019 NFL power rankings, Week 14: Bengals prevail, Colts collapse

Recap: Mike Tomlin’s team was coming off an ugly victory at Cincinnati. And the Steelers’ head coach had chosen Devlin Hodges to get the start against the visiting Browns. Pittsburgh’s winning formula as of late has been the ability to force turnovers and had totaled 28 takeaways in the club’s first 11 outings. The Steelers’ offense struggled early and gained 10 yards on their first 10 offensive plays of the game. But on Pittsburgh’s next 44 plays, the team rolled up 313 total yards. Hodges was picked off in the second half but threw for 212 yards and a score to James Washington, who caught four passes for 111 yards. And chalk up two more takeaways for this gritty club.

Next Week: Tomlin’s squad heads to the desert for the first time since 2011 as the Steelers take on the Arizona Cardinals for the first time since 2015. Including Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 victory in Super Bowl LIII at Raymond James Stadium, the Steelers have won three straight meetings – the latest a 25-13 triumph in 2015 at Heinz Field.

Playoff hopes: Will Tomlin’s club eventually close the deal and become just the seventh team to overcome a 0-3 deficit to reach the playoffs. This latest win showed just how resilient the undermanned Steelers have become. There’s still lots of work to do but this battered Pittsburgh team keeps making just enough plays at the right time.

Recap: The unpredictable Titans found themselves back above the .500 mark and would make their way north to Indianapolis for a showdown with the Colts. Mike Vrabel’s club had scored a combined 77 points in its previous two games in knocking off the Chiefs and Jaguars. On Tennessee’s first play from scrimmage, running back Derrick Henry dropped the ball after a nine-yard gain and Indianapolis recovered. Ryan Tanehill was sacked five times in the first half and Vrabel’s squad trailed by 10 points in the third quarter. But Henry finished with 149 yards rushing and a touchdown, Tannehill threw for two scores and the Titans took back a blocked field goal for a score.

Next Week: The Titans make their way to the Bay Area for the first time since 2013 to take on the Oakland Raiders as these clubs clash for the fourth time in five years. Tennessee has dropped three straight to the Silver and Black, all at Nashville, including a 26-16 setback in 2017 in the latest encounter between these longtime franchises.

Playoff hopes: Kudos to Vrabel and his staff for making the tough decision to bench their franchise quarterback and go with Tannehill. The veteran signal-caller and the team looked shaky early on but gathered themselves and all three aspects of the Titans’ team combined to get a huge road win vs. a team that has owned them as of late.

Next: Nos. 10 and 9