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Steeler playoff scenarios


Despite the Steelers' recent stumbles, they can still make the playoffs even if they lose to the Dallas Cowboys this week. Here are the scenarios for making the playoffs.

THE STEELERS WIN THE WILD CARD IF:

1) Steelers win final three games (@DAL, CIN, CLE)

2) There is no 2

This one is easy. The Steelers finish 10-6, the Bengals finish no better than 9-7 (after losing to PIT), and no other trailing team can finish at 10-6.

THE STEELERS WIN THE WILD CARD IF:

1) Steelers beat CIN in Week 16

2) Steelers win ONE of their other two games (@DAL, CLE)

In the second scenario, the Steelers and Bengals both finish 9-7, but the Steelers hold the tiebreaker from finishing 2-0 against the Bengals. Note that even if the Jets win out, they would finish 9-7, but the Steelers would win the three-way tiebreaker because they also beat the Jets. No other trailing team can finish 9-7.

There are other scenarios, but they involve lots of "help" from other teams, and the odds become astronomical.

For those dreamers, the Steelers are not quite eliminated from the AFC North title.

THE STEELERS WIN THE AFC NORTH IF:

1) Steelers win all three remaining games.

2) Ravens lose all three remaining games (DEN, NYG, @CIN).

Any Ravens win or Steelers loss eliminates the Steelers from the division race. This is due to the Steelers losing the tiebreaker with the Ravens on conference record. (If the Steelers go 4-0 against the NFC East, they will have the worst possible position in all conference tiebreakers.)

BTW, if the Steelers make the playoffs, they will almost certainly be the #6 seed and therefore playing against the #3 seed. For the Steelers to earn the #5 seed, they would have to win all three of their remaining games while the Colts lose all three of their remaining games (@HOU, @KC, HOU). If the Steelers somehow win the division, they would be the #4 seed.

DISCLAIMER: All scenarios are unofficial and not approved by the NFL. Please check my math.

The opinions shared here are not those of the editorial staff of Behind the Steel Curtain or SB Nation. These posts are not approved in any way by the editorial staff of this web site.