Playoff Scenarios: How the Steelers Can be Eliminated in Week 15

Can the Steelers be eliminated from the NFL playoffs in Week 15? They sure can be. After Pittsburgh’s tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, it narrowed their playoff chances significantly. Now, it will take a lot of things to fall their way, and Pittsburgh no longer controls its own destiny from here on out.

AFC Wk 15 Playoff Elims:

IND OUT with:
– IND L + TEN w/t + NE w
– IND L + TEN w/t + NYJ w

PIT OUT with:
– PIT L + NE w
– PIT L + NYJ w + LAC w/t
– PIT L + LAC w + LV t

CLE OUT with:
– CLE L + LAC w
– CLE L + NE w
– CLE L + NYJ w

LV OUT with:
– LV L + MIA w/t
– LV L + NYJ w/t pic.twitter.com/30KbQDP2qu

— Joe Ferreira (@JoeNFL) December 13, 2022

So, just how can the Steelers be eliminated from playoff contention in Week 15? Well, the first thing that would need to happen is a loss to the Carolina Panthers. If the Steelers happen to win against the Panthers in Charlotte, none of these scenarios matter.

If that happens, however, Joe Ferreira broke down just how it could happen. In the event of the loss, Pittsburgh could be knocked out with a New England win outright. That is all that would have to happen. If the Patriots lose, it could get a bit more complicated, however.

The New York Jets could win and then the Los Angeles Chargers could win or tie and eliminate Pittsburgh as well. That is not crazy, either. It might take another week, though. The Jets play a surging Lions team and the Chargers get a test of wills against Derrick Henry and the Titans.

The last scenario is that the Raiders could tie and the Chargers win. Las Vegas and New England play each other, and that could end up being a consequential game for Pittsburgh’s dismal playoff hopes already. That is the unlikeliest scenario to this path, but stranger things have happened.

Regardless, it is not that crazy to imagine the Steelers on the outside looking in with multiple games left to play. The first order of business is to win against the Panthers. If they win, for now, they can stave off the boogeyman of their season for a bit of time.