Playoff Picture: Steelers Can’t Clinch or Lose AFC North This Week
The Pittsburgh Steelers have several paths to clinching the AFC North over the final two weeks of the 2024 regular season, but none of them can come to pass in Week 17, even with a Steelers win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday.
The Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are currently tied at 10-5 atop the division after Baltimore’s 34-17 win on Saturday, but the Steelers currently hold the lead thanks to the fourth tiebreaker — a better record in AFC games.
That means that if the Steelers and Ravens both sweep their final two game, or if the Steelers and Ravens both go 0-2 in their final two games, the Steelers will win the division.
The tricky part comes down to what happens if they split, and that’s why the Steelers can’t clinch this week. If the Steelers beat the Chiefs, but the Ravens lose to the Houston Texans on Wednesday the Steelers would be a game up entering the final week of the season.
But if the Steelers then lose to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18 while the Ravens beat the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens would pull ahead in divisional record, 4-2 to 3-3. The teams are currently tied at 3-2 in AFC North play. Divisional record is the second tiebreaker, so the Ravens taking the lead their would supersede the Steelers’ better AFC record.
So if the Steelers beat the Chiefs, and the Ravens lose to the Texans, the Steelers will clinch in Week 18 with either a win over the Bengals or a Ravens loss to the Browns. If the Steelers beat the Chiefs and the Ravens beat the Texans, the Steelers will still clinch in Week 18 with either a win over the Bengals or a Ravens loss to the Browns.
If the Steelers are victorious in the 1 p.m. game, what happens later that afternoon doesn’t matter to Pittsburgh’s chances of winning the AFC North.
If the Steelers lose to the Chiefs, and the also Ravens lose to the Texans, the Steelers will still clinch in Week 18 with either a win over the Bengals or a Ravens loss to the Browns.
On the other hand, if the Steelers lose to the Chiefs and Baltimore beats Houston, the Steelers will need to both beat the Bengals and have the Browns win in Baltimore to clinch the division.
For seeding purposes, the Chiefs will lock up the No. 1 seed with a win on Wednesday. The Steelers can secure no worse than the fifth seed with a win and can do no better than the No. 3 seed with a loss.
STEELERS IN AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
1. Kansas City Chiefs 14-1
2. Buffalo Bills 11-3
3. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-5
4. Houston Texans 9-6
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5. Baltimore Ravens 10-5
6. Los Angeles Chargers 9-6
7. Denver Broncos 9-6
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8. Indianapolis Colts 7-8
9. Miami Dolphins 7-8
10. Cincinnati Bengals 7-8
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11. New York Jets 4-11
12. Cleveland Browns 3-12
13. Jacksonville Jaguars 3-12
14. Tennessee Titans 3-12
15. Las Vegas Raiders 3-12
16. New England Patriots 3-12
AFC NORTH STANDINGS
| Overall | AFC North | AFC | Head-to-head | |
| Steelers | 10-5 | 3-2 | 7-3 | BAL 1-1, CIN 1-0, CLE 1-1 |
| Ravens | 10-5 | 3-2 | 6-4 | CIN 2-0, CLE 0-1, PIT 1-1 |
| Bengals | 7-8 | 2-3 | 4-6 | BAL 0-2, CLE 2-0, PIT 0-1 |
| Browns | 3-12 | 2-3 | 3-7 | BAL 1-0, CIN, 0-2, PIT 1-1 |
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