A path to the playoffs for the Pittsburgh Steelers includes winning their season finale. And some prayers.
The only way for the Steelers to qualify for the postseason for the second year in a row, after they beat the Cleveland Browns on Monday night, is to win in Baltimore in Week 18, and if they also get an upset victory from the 2-14 Jacksonville Jaguars over the 9-7 Indianapolis Colts.
Oh, and the game between the Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) and Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) next weekend cannot end in a tie.
Under that scenario, the Steelers would edge the Colts as the No. 7 seed and would make the playoffs with a 9-7-1 record.
Five teams have clinched playoff berths in the AFC, leaving two up for grabs among the Chargers, Raiders, Colts, Steelers and Ravens.
The Colts (9-7) had their three-game winning streak snapped Sunday with a 23-20 defeat to the Raiders. The Colts and Jaguars played in Indianapolis on Nov. 14, with the Colts getting a 23-17 victory. Jacksonville has lost eight in a row and was throttled, 50-10, by New England on Sunday.
The Colts, however, have lost on six straight trips to Jacksonville, last winning in Duval County in 2014.
Winning the AFC North for a second year in a row was removed from the equation for the Steelers when the Cincinnati Bengals snapped the Kansas City Chiefs’ eight-game winning streak with a 34-31 victory Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.
That win clinched the division title for the Bengals, who have a 10-6 record. It’s their first AFC North championship since 2015.
The Steelers have an 8-7-1 record heading into their finale Sunday against 8-8 Baltimore, which has lost five in a row.
