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The Pittsburgh Steelers play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15, and everyone knows who they are rooting for in that game, but what about the other games which could impact the Steelers’ track to the postseason? This is where the Rooting Guide comes in. We break down the games you should be keeping an eye on.
There has been one AFC game already completed, and that was the Saturday night game with the Miami Dolphins beating the New York Jets. The Jets are hapless, and the Dolphins continue to keep pace in the Wild Card hunt. However, this game has little impact on the Steelers.
Check out the full rooting guide below.
Philadelphia Eagles at
Baltimore Ravens (1:00 p.m. EDT)
Who you should be rooting for: Philadelphia
Why: The Ravens slipped up in Week 14 against the New England Patriots, and it gave the Steelers a game lead in the division. Although the division will still likely come down to the Christmas day game at Heinz Field between Baltimore and Pittsburgh, an Eagles upset would really help Pittsburgh’s chances of winning the division, as long as the Steelers continue their winning ways. Also, you ALWAYS root against the Ravens...no matter what.
Tennessee Titans at
Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 p.m. EDT)
Who you should be rooting for: Tennessee
Why: The Steelers are still clinging to a chance of claiming the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, if they win the rest of their games. If they are indeed going to do this, they will need the Chiefs to finish 1-2 in their final three games. The Titans are not a push over anymore, and them going into Arrowhead and beating the Chiefs would be huge.
Oakland Raiders at
San Diego Chargers (4:25 p.m. EDT)
Who you should be rooting for: San Diego
Why: The same scenario listed above for the Chiefs would have to take place with the Raiders for the Steelers to be able to claim a first round bye as the No. 2 seed in the AFC Playoffs. The Raiders going 1-2 might not seem like a guarantee, but in the wild AFC West, you never know. Regardless, root for the Chargers.
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At this point of the season, the rooting guide gets simpler as more and more teams become eliminated from playoff contention. The Steelers path to the playoffs remains simple: Win the AFC North and hope for the best in regards to playoff seeding.