The Pittsburgh Steelers have quietly led the AFC North all season. But an injury to Aaron Rodgers puts their division lead in jeopardy, as the Baltimore Ravens are right behind them, and the AFC North battle intensifies. It could make the Steelers-Ravens matchups over the next few weeks exciting. The Steelers' playoff chances could rise or fall, depending on how the next few weeks go.
Pittsburgh currently has +240 odds to win the AFC North, which is the second-best chance, according to FanDuel. Ultimately, oddsmakers don't believe the Steelers can maintain their lead in the AFC North, which has currently shrunk to just one game.
With Rodgers pushing to play against the Chicago Bears this Sunday, it underscores how vital this AFC North battle is. With the Steelers currently 6-4 and the Ravens 5-5, only one team is likely to come out of this division. So, can Pittsburgh hold off Baltimore?
Analyzing the Steelers' Schedule
The Steelers travel to Soldier Field to face the Bears this weekend. After that game, they come home to host the Buffalo Bills. Following that contest, they will travel to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Ravens. These are three critical games that could determine their season. So far, the Steelers are just 2-3 against teams with winning records.
After that three-game stretch, the Steelers host the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football before making a quick turnaround to Michigan for a battle with the Detroit Lions. Pittsburgh will battle the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 on the road before finishing the season with the Ravens at home.
That Week 18 game could easily be for the AFC North. As they stand at 6-4, Pittsburgh would likely have to go 3-3 over its next six games to give itself a chance. But the Ravens have a softer schedule over the rest of the campaign.
Analyzing the Ravens' Schedule
Lamar Jackson did not practice on Wednesday. Significantly, it could just be a maintenance day, as the star quarterback has dealt with a multitude of injuries that include his ankle and knee. Remember, the Ravens were 1-5 before their bye week, and much of it had to do with Lamar Jackson missing time.
The Ravens host the New York Jets this weekend, and follow it up with a battle against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving night. Of course, the battle with the Steelers follows that, ending a stretch of three straight home games. The Ravens then head to Ohio to face the Cincinnati Bengals, who could get Joe Burrow back by then. Then, the Ravens face their toughest test when they host the New England Patriots. Things get colder as they take a trip to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers.
The Ravens could enter the Week 18 battle in front of the Steelers in the division. Or, they could have won the AFC North by then. On paper, their schedule offers a softer landing than the Steelers.
What are the Steelers' playoff chances?
The Steelers' playoff chances are not great across the board despite leading the division. If they were to fall into second place in the division, they would automatically have to battle it out in the wild card. The Bills are one of the teams currently in a wild card spot, so if the Steelers cannot beat them, they will lose a tiebreaker.
The Steelers have already lost a tiebreaker to the Los Angeles Chargers, so finishing tied with them would not be beneficial. While they currently have a better conference record (5-2) than the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2), that could change if the Steelers were to lose to the Bills in two weeks.
It does not look promising, with the brutal schedule they have left. The Bears have been formidable and have overcome numerous teams. With the game being at Soldier Field, it presents a difficult challenge for the black and yellow. Then, facing Josh Allen will not be the easiest battle. Allen is 4-1 against them throughout his career. Finally, the short turnaround to face the Ravens on Thanksgiving could be too much to handle.
Rodgers has insisted he wants to play. But at what cost? If he were to suffer another injury, it could hurt the team even more. The worst-case scenario is losing three games in a row, while the Ravens win three in a row. If that happens, the Steelers' playoff chances don't just sink, they nearly evaporate. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record throughout his tenure as head coach. But with his team facing just two teams with a losing record on the rest of their slate, that streak could very well end this season, along with the Steelers' playoff chances.
