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Steelers Get No Help on Sunday, Playoff Odds Dwindle

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5 months ago

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Steelers DT Cam Heyward
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward takes his helmet off during a game against the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 16, 2023. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t get any of the help they were hoping for in the AFC playoff picture on Sunday.

The Steelers entered the day as longshots to make the postseason, with the New York Times playoff simulator giving them a 9% chance entering the day and the betting markets settling around 14%.

They had available help in the form of the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans, but those three teams went 0-3 on Sunday.

The Bears and Titans made things tight. Chicago gave up a go-ahead field goal to the Cleveland Browns in the final minute, but still had a chance to win it, when Justin Fields’ Hail Mary attempt on the last play was dropped in the end zone by Darnell Mooney.

Houston got a game-winning field goal on the final seconds overtime from Ka’imi Fairbairn, as the Texans topped the Titans, even without C.J. Stroud.

In the late game, the Cowboys never came close, as the red-hot Bills jumped out to a 21-3 lead and never looked back, routing Dallas, 31-10.

The trio of setbacks dropped the Steelers’ playoff chances from 9% to 4%, according to the New York Times. If they are able to win out over their final three games, the Steelers will then have an 84% chance of making the playoffs.

The Sunday and Monday night games don’t have a significant impact on the Steelers’ playoff future.

Here’s the AFC playoff picture after the 4 p.m. games on Sunday:

STEELERS IN AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE

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

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