Playoff Picture: Steelers Can Eliminate Browns This Week

The Pittsburgh Steelers can eliminate the Cleveland Browns from playoff contention with a win this coming Sunday.

Alan Saunders |

Dec 3, 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers Cleveland Browns — Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt and Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston in a game on Nov. 24, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

When the Cleveland Browns come to visit the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, the Steelers will be looking for revenge for their 24-19 loss to the Browns two weeks earlier, but they can do more than just even the score in the season series with a win — they can eliminate the Browns from playoff contention.

With the Browns’ loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, Cleveland sits at 3-9, and one more loss will eliminate the Browns from the AFC playoff picture. The Steelers would surely love to be the ones to deliver that blow.

The Steelers cannot clinch a playoff berth this week, because the Indianapolis Colts are off. The seven-loss Colts could still win out, and the Steelers can get to 10 wins this week, but would lose a tiebreaker with Indy at 10-7, thanks to their head-to-head loss.

The Baltimore Ravens are also off this week, so the best the Steelers can do in the AFC North is push their current 1 1/2-game lead to a two-game margin.

With a win over the Browns, the Steelers would put themselves in a position to potentially be able to clinch both a playoff spot and the AFC North title with some help in Week 15.

STEELERS IN AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE

1. Kansas City Chiefs 11-1
2. Buffalo Bills 10-2
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 9-3
4. Houston Texans 8-5
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5. Los Angeles Chargers 8-4
6. Baltimore Ravens 8-5
7. Denver Broncos 8-5
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8. Indianapolis Colts 6-7
9. Miami Dolphins 5-7
10. Cincinnati Bengals 4-8
11. Cleveland Browns 3-9
12. Tennessee Titans 3-9
13. New York Jets 3-9
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14. New England Patriots 3-10
15. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-10
16. Las Vegas Raiders 2-10

AFC NORTH STANDINGS

	Overall	AFC North	AFC	Head-to-head
Steelers	9-3	2-1	6-2	BAL 1-0, CIN 1-0, CLE 0-1
Ravens	8-5	2-2	5-4	CIN 2-0, CLE 0-1, PIT 0-1
Bengals	4-8	1-3	2-6	BAL 0-2, CLE 1-0, PIT 0-1
Browns	3-9	2-1	3-4	BAL 1-0, CIN, 0-1, PIT 1-0