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Steelers Fan Rooting Guide: Who to cheer for in other games in Week 10

Steelers fans know who to root against week in and week out. They usually know to root against Baltimore, Cleveland and New England. But sometimes, you have to look at the bigger picture—the playoff picture. Here are potential teams to put on your foam finger for.

By Bryan Anthony Davis
/ new
Cleveland Browns v New England Patriots Photo by: 2019 Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

Each game that the Steelers take the field, it’s about their taking care of business with a win. That doesn’t always occur, but with the goal always being the playoffs... the other games become about seeding and matchups. With the Steelers needing to control their fate against the Lions, other contests still matter to Steelers Nation and we assume the Steelers will keep winning more for the sake of this exercise. Here’s a guide to other significant matchups, and whose losses the Steelers would benefit from more.

If the season ended today, the Steelers would be the sixth seed in the AFC.

Here are the current AFC playoff picture going into Week 10

  1. Tennessee Titans 7-2 (Last Week: No. 1) Would win the AFC South and have a First Round Bye
  2. Baltimore Ravens 6-3 (Last Week: No. 3) Would win the AFC North and host the New England Patriots
  3. Los Angeles Chargers 5-3 (Last Week: No. 7) Would win the AFC West and host the Pittsburgh Steelers
  4. Buffalo Bills 5-3 (Last Week: No. 4) Would win the AFC East and host the Las Vegas Raiders
  5. Las Vegas Raiders 5-3 (Last Week: No. 2) Would be Wildcard No. 1 and visit the Buffalo Bills
  6. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-3 (Last Week: No. 6) Would be Wildcard No. 2 and visit the Los Angeles Chargers
  7. New England Patriots 5-4 (Last Week: No. 8) Would be Wildcard No. 3 and visit the Baltimore Ravens
  8. Kansas City Chiefs 5-4 (Last Week: No. 9)
  9. Cleveland Browns 5-4 (Last Week: No, 10)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals 5-4 (Last Week: No. 5)
  11. Denver Broncos 5-4 (Last Week: No. 11)
  12. Indianapolis Colts 4-5 (Last Week: No. 12)
  13. Miami Dolphins 3-7 (Last Week: No. 16)
  14. New York Jets 2-6 (Last Week: No. 13)
  15. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-6 (Last Week: No. 14)
  16. Houston Texans 1-8 (Last Week: No. 15)

WEEK 10

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins - Thursday 8:20 PM (FOX/NFLN/AMAZON)

it’s starting to make sense that Baltimore is a horse racing town and it’s obvious that John Harbaugh has found himself with a horseshoe buried deep in his posterior. Teams get lucky, but not to this high degree. Houdini has escaped less peril in his career than have the Ravens. Said luck needs to run out soon. Please.

Who to root for: Miami Dolphins

Note: The Ravens got a lot of calls late in the game that were borderline, but the Dolphins defense put on the latex gloves and removed the horse shoe from Harbs. Steeler Nation and the Rooting Guide thanks you, Miami.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts - Sunday 1 PM (CBS)

The Colts have found themselves discovering momentum and Frank Reich’s boys are inching towards bring in frame in the AFC playoff picture. The Jags had a big upset over Buffalo. Can they possibly do it again? That would put Indy out of focus once more.

Who to root for: Jacksonville Jaguars

Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots - Sunday 1 PM (CBS)

This is actually tougher than you would think it would be to pick between these two recipients of Steeler Nation hate. The Pats are starting to not only come on strong, but they are beginning to believe. The Browns rebound last week was Rooting Guide gold once more, but the RG is fickle and will drop a team like a hot potato roasting on a hot tin roof. It’s time to drop that Baker and hate the Browns once more.

Who to root for: New England Patriots

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets - Sunday 1 PM (CBS)

The Jets are still a mess, but they helped out big time in the RG just a few weeks ago by sinking Cincy. The Jaguars stunned the Bills just last week to give the Steelers a head-to-head advantage over Buffalo in the conference standings. Could an underdog circle the wagons of the Buffalo Bills again? It is possible.

Who to root for: New York Jets

New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans - Sunday 1 PM (CBS)

The Titans overcame the loss of Derrick Henry by maintaining the top spot in the conference. Mike Vrabel’s boys are becoming the cream of the crop in the American Football Conference. A loss by them would be welcomed.

Who to root for: New Orleans Saints

Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers - Sunday 4:05 PM (FOX)

The Chargers are finally topping the AFC West and the Raiders are now even more of a foe. The Rooting Guide is actually split here. Conventional wisdom says that you go with the NFC team over a contender, but with L.A. hosting Pittsburgh in Week 11… you don’t really want them to come in with three losses in four games. I think record barely wins out here.

Who to root for: Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles at Denver Broncos - Sunday 4:25 PM (CBS)

The Denver Broncos proved last week that they aren’t necessarily ready to go off quietly into the night after beating Dallas. The Steelers have an advantage over Denver, but knocking them down further works even more.

Who to root for: Philadelphia Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders - Sunday 8:20 PM (NBC)

Wow! I want both of these teams to lose for Steelers’ sake. Even though the Raiders hold a tiebreaker over the Steelers, the Kansas City Chiefs are still the defending conference champions and are capable of going off. The Raiders will completely implode by season’s close, so root for them to help knock KC off.

Who to root for: Las Vegas Raiders

Who do you like in these games for yinzer’s sake? Let us know in the comment section in this article or on BTSC social media. In the meantime, grab that Terrible Towel and start rooting.

If you want more explanation to these picks check out the new Rooting Guide podcast below:

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