Despite dropping a 22-17 heartbreaker at the hands of the visiting Jets, the NFL announced the Steelers have clinched a playoff berth Sunday.

With two games to go, winning out would give them the AFC North title by virtue of a better divisional record than Baltimore, but with a short week, anything can happen. Baltimore played with their own playoff aspirations still well alive. It looks like another battle to the wire for the division title.

Interstingly enough, though, it looks as if the balance of power in the AFC playoffs will be between the North and the East, and all four of those teams (Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New York and New England played each other at least once this season, and both divisional foes split their two game series.

The Steelers host Carolina on Thursday night, while Baltimore travels to Cleveland. A Steelers win and a Ravens loss will give Pittsburgh its sixth AFC North championship since 2002.