3 games to watch in Week 15 which could impact the Steelers’ playoff scenarios

With their win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, the Steelers have reached the magic number of eight wins with three games remaining as they are guaranteed to have a non-losing season. But the Steelers record being at .500 is not the desired outcome at this point. The Steelers are currently sitting in the sixth seed in the AFC playoff picture with a key head-to-head match up against the Buffalo Bills where the winner will move into the fifth seed regardless of whatever happens around the NFL. Apart from the Steelers taking care of their own business, what other games are of interest to the AFC playoff picture for Week 15?

With only three games remaining, the focus has turned from strictly opponents the Steelers still have to face to games which will be of interest to Steelers’ fans due to how they affect the AFC playoff hunt. First and foremost, the Steelers’ game is by far the most important for them to hold or improve their current position. But several other games around the NFL can have some serious implications as to where teams are seeded before next week.

New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens

Thursday at 8:20 PM on FOX, NFLN

This game makes the list because if the Ravens can take down the Jets on Thursday night, they will have secured the AFC North division championship. Knowing it would be a longshot for the Steelers to catch the Ravens for the last several weeks, this game Thursday night could finally make it official. Once this is the case, the Steelers only path to the playoffs is the wildcard.

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

Sunday 1:00 PM on CBS

It’s usually not right to tell people how to cast their vote in anything, but I’m going to do it anyway. This is the game. By far, this is the game. The only team within two games of the Steelers who could knock them out of the playoffs for 2019 will be the second-place finisher in the AFC South. With the Titans and Texans currently tied at 8-5, the loser of this game will be sitting only in wildcard contention. But this game is not the final page between the Titans and Texans as they will face off again in two weeks in Week 17. But knowing which team falls in the first matchup will allow Steelers’ fans to know who to root against the next time.

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

Sunday at 1:00 PM on CBS

It was really hard to find a third game that means anything to the Steelers in the playoff race since their biggest competition plays each other. So the only other possibility is the Kansas City Chiefs and whomever they play. The biggest reason this has any implication on the Steelers is because if the playoffs started this week the Steelers would travel to Kansas City. So as long as the Chiefs are a possibility as who the Steelers could face on wildcard weekend, their games are at least worth paying a little bit of attention to for the time being.

So there are the three other NFL matchups which can give Steelers’ fans a clearer picture as to what the Steelers will need to do to qualify for the 2019 postseason as well their positioning. While handling their own business is of the upmost importance, getting a little help along the way to make the Steelers path easier is always welcomed.

So which of these games this week will be the most telling as it pertains to the 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers playoff scenarios moving forward? Make sure you vote in the poll and give your thoughts in the comments below.