The Steelers playoff chances

They really need a win today against the Giants, there's a big difference between 4-4 or 5-3. With a loss and a Ravens win you fall 2 games behind. If you win today then the next game is against the Chiefs with a chance to get on a roll.

 

As much as a win would be nice, this is definitely not a must win game. As long as we win against AFC teams, we'll be alright.

 

according to this website
http://www.nfl.com/playoffs/playoff-picture
we are currently in 7th but need to pass miami and the colts which is very doable with or without a win today

 

Still a must win, all of our 3 losses were to afc teams already

 

While this may not be a "must win" game technically, to me it's a VERY BIG game for the Steelers' mindset. We've lost to the Raiders and the Titans, two games we should have won easily. It would be HUGE for the teams' morale to go into a hostile environment and win against a quality opponent, the world champs no less.

 

In the AFC, we can make the playoffs at 10-6. I don't want to get to 6 losses, but that's not the end of the year if it happens.

 

right now the other afc team involved in wild card have the same losses we have so everything can happen , i still think 9 7 can get in

 

I would not be surprised at all to see the last AFC wild card (#6 seed) go in at 9-7. However, I think that the Steelers are going to win the AFC North, and with an 11-5 record at that.

The Ravens 6-2 reminds me of the Steelers 6-2 in 2009- an illusion. I would not be surprised to see them go in the dumper in the 2nd half. Since their week one blowout of the Bengals, they've not been dominant or decisive and really should be 4-4 at best right now.

 

The AFC is really weak this year which helps.

Right now we're a 6 seed in. The 2 games against the Ravens will decide a lot (duh). Kinda funny if the playoffs started today the Colts would play the Broncos in the first round, ESPN would lose their minds. We'd be playing the Pats.

 

Just imagine if we should at some point this year get totally healthy and add (Troy, Rashard, DeCastro, etc.)... We might be really good to go! Just keep winning these close ones until then!

 

Honestly, I'd be willing to wager that any 10-6 teams in the AFC will get in, and there will be a 9-7 team in the playoffs last year. Look around- how many teams are likely to get to 10 wins? lets say Denver, NE, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Houston. Who else? SD- maybe. Indy- maybe.

Split with the Ravens, beat SD and Cincy at home, win 3 of 4 from KC, Dallas and both Clevelands- seems very doable to me.

 

they are looking better.

 

Me too. I would be shocked if there's an AFC 10-6 team missing the playoffs. 9-7 is always iffy, especially if conf record is weak, and as the Steelers are 3-0 vs the NFC, their AFC conf record have to be weak. But they'd have to go 4-4 the rest of the way to get to 9-7, and I'd think that would be a big dissapointment.

 

I look at EVERY game as a "must win". There is no reason to not look at it that way. Play to win every game and play every game like it's your last. Play with urgency and play with killer instinct. Leave absolutely no room for complacency. Never get comfortable. That's just me though.

 

If the Steelers keep up the intensity they had today through the rest of the season there's no reason why they would lose another game. The Ravens almost lost to the Browns today - and they're definitely very vulnerable at this point. I'm not saying they will finish 13-3, but what they showed today indicates they do have the capacity to do it.

 

yeah heres what 10-6 gets us.. a trip to denver.. no ryan clark.. and that = a loss to denver.. 10-6 is crap

HINES

 

KC should be a tune up for us and we can go into the first game against Balt with some momentum.

Hopefully though we're in the first step of a streak of wins. We're in the meat of our schedule right now and are going to need everything we can get.

 

I fear KC could be a trap game for us. The one thing that makes me feel better about it is the fact that I think Haley is gonna wanna go in there and call the game of his life to let those morons know what they let go. I think it would be awesome if we get the win that after the game Tomlin gives him the game ball.

 

In a perfect world that's how it would go. In our world it's uncertain.

I fear a trap game here too but hopefully this team that just knocked the block off of the G-men has learned from their mistakes against the Raiders and Titans.

We shouldn't have to be afraid of games like this. I'm going to trust the guys this week going into the game against KC, because I believe they won't do that to us again.

 

The Chiefs are not the trap I'm looking at....its that Browns game sitting between two Ravens games.

Ravens, Browns, Ravens.....is a brutal 3 week stint.

That Browns game.

 

I was looking at the schedule before the Giants game and I thought we would finish 10-6 and that was with the Giants game chalked up as a loss.

We have the Chiefs, Chargers, Bengals and Browns at home. These *should* be wins and easy ones at that.

Then we have the home and away with the Ravens plus @Dallas and @Browns. Assuming @Browns is a win, we are already at 10 wins. That means we only need to win ONE of Ravens, @Ravens, @Dallas and we finish 11-5.

I'd say, barring injuries of course, the question isn't IF we make the playoffs but that are chances to actually do something in the playoffs are.

 

Personally, I think that the KC game AND the Browns game in Cleveland are BOTH potential trap games. We've seen what our team can do when they are motivated, intense and on-edge. Neither of those games naturally provides that for us. So - the Steelers need to create it for themselves. They cannot look at next week as a "tune-up" for the Ravens. Instead, look at KC like they ARE the Ravens. I think the difference maker for that game will be that it is a home game. Then - play the Ravens - and BEAT them. Then don't look at Cleveland as a BREAK between the Ravens. Instead - go in there with a killer instinct that can propel you to BEAT the Ravens on their own turf. We're in a make-or-break stretch against some vulnerable teams and there's no reason why we cannot win the next four and take control of the division. The Ravens are licking their wounds right now and they won't be much better by the time we get to them. So - we need to smell the blood in the water and attack. Last year, when Ben was hobbling at the end of the season, no one took it easy on us. We cannot take a single game for granted - much less the next four. This could be a fun month if the Steelers can keep up the intensity. I think I mentioned this in one of the "negative" threads. The Steelers have been flying under the radar - and when the beginning of December comes, everyone's going to wonder where in the hell they came from. They have the potential to be the scariest team in the AFC going into the playoffs.