The Pittsburgh Steelers’ season is hanging on by a thread, and they’ll turn to backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky to try to lead the team to a necessary win over the Carolina Panthers on the road this Sunday.
STEELERS GAMEDAY INFO
Week 15, Pittsburgh Steelers (5-8) vs Carolina Panthers (5-8)
Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, 1 p.m.
Bank of America Stadium (74,867, FieldTurf)
Broadcast
TV: CBS (Greg Gumble, Adam Archuleta, AJ Ross) (TV Map)
Radio: Steelers Radio Network, 102.5 WDVE-FM (Bill Hillgrove, Craig Wolfley, Missi Mathews, Max Starks)
SN Coverage: Alan Saunders
Forecast: Sunny, 44 degrees, wind NW 9 mph.
Line: Steelers +3, +135, over/under 37.5 DraftKings Promo
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AT STAKE
The Steelers have an extremely minimal chance of making the 2022 NFL playoffs, but they must win out to realize even a hope at that outcome. In that regard, all the games are critical, but the 5-8 Panthers are probably the worst team remaining on the schedule. With a loss, the Steelers would be functionally eliminated, though it may not happen this week.
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The Panthers, meanwhile, are somehow in the thick of the NFC South playoff race. With all four teams under .500, someone undeserving will be getting a playoff spot. The Panthers are one game behind the first-place Bucs entering Sunday.
With a win, the Steelers would sweep their four-game tour of the division. The Steelers haven’t swept an NFC division since 2005, when they went 4-0 against the NFC North. This season, the Steelers played five games against NFC teams thanks to the 17th game. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
TRANSACTIONS
The Steelers placed defensive lineman Chris Wormley on the injured reserve list and signed nose tackle Jonathan Marshall from the New York Jets’ practice squad.
INJURY REPORT
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett (concussion) was downgraded to out from doubtful on Saturday. ILB Myles Jack (groin) was initially listed as doubtful but upgraded to questionable.
CB William Jackson III (back) is eligible to be activated from the injured reserve list but has not begun his 21-day practice window. CB Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) must miss at least the next two games. Wormley must miss the rest of the regular season.
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Interim head coach Steve Wilks seems to have the Panthers moving in the right direction, and there is mounting support for him to keep the role heading into 2023.
“Slam dunk to take interim tag off title,” an AFC executive told ESPN. “Better brand of football since he took over.”
The team was 1-4 under head coach Matt Rhule and is 4-4 under Wilks.
AFC PLAYOFF PICTURE
No. 1 Buffalo Bills 11-3
No. 2 Kansas City Chiefs 10-3
No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals 9-4
No. 4 Tennessee Titans 7-6
No. 5 Baltimore Ravens 9-4
No. 6 Miami Dolphins 8-6
No. 7 New England Patriots 7-6
In the hunt:
Los Angeles Chargers 7-6
New York Jets 7-6
Cleveland Browns 6-8
Jacksonville Jaguars 5-8
Las Vegas Raiders 5-8
Pittsburgh Steelers 5-7
Indianapolis Colts 4-9-1
Eliminated:
Houston Texans 1-10-1
Denver Broncos 3-10