Steelers, Chiefs can clinch playoff spots this week

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The Steelers took a step closer to the postseason with a win over the Ravens on Wednesday and they can sew up a berth on Monday night.

If the Steelers beat or tie the Washington Football Team, they will secure one of the seven playoff spots in the AFC. Even if the Steelers lose, they can end up with a spot in the postseason. If the Raiders, Dolphins, or Colts lose or tie this weekend, the Steelers would be in even if they lose for the first time this season.

The No. 2 team in the AFC can also punch its ticket this week. The Chiefs will be in if they win. There are a variety of scenarios where they get in with a tie and they’ll be in with a loss if the Raiders, Ravens, and Colts all lose.

Both teams can also clinch their divisions. The Chiefs will be AFC West champs with a win and a Raiders loss or tie. They can also wrap up the title with a tie and a Raiders loss to the Jets.

The Steelers need to win while the Browns lose and they clinch the strength of victory tiebreaker. That may leave things open for another week.

One NFC team can clinch a berth. If the Saints win and the Bears lose to or tie the Lions, New Orleans will be playoff bound. There are also a couple of scenarios where the Saints wrap up a spot, but both require losses by the Bears and Vikings as well as other results.

15 responses to “Steelers, Chiefs can clinch playoff spots this week

  1. I would love to see the Steelers get a bye week. Home field advantage, to me, isn’t all that important this year with basically no fans in the stands. Obviously, the loss of Dupree is huge, but the one they need to protect at all costs is Big Ben. IMO, they can overcome the loss of Dupree, but if BR goes down….they are done. For me, it was kind of shocking that they didn’t go after an experienced backup this year.

  2. It kinda feels like it’s the Chiefs and Steelers and everyone else this year. Maybe the Packers? They just don’t exude dominance like the Chiefs and the bend-but-don’t-break Steelers do. If I had to place a way-too-early fictional bet, Chiefs-Packers Super Bowl, KC wins, Mahomes repeats as SB MVP. Safe bet or nah?

  3. Sadly there’s no home field advantage this year, that really changes the advantage of being good. But getting that #1 seed and getting a bye would be big.

    Playing, for instance, Green Bay vs Tampa is also an advantage, for the home team, but the crowds will really be missed come playoff time.

    Why is it that if you say we play “Tampa” it’s cool, everyone knows what you’re talking about. But if you said we play “Green” you’d be considered a maniac? Go Chiefs!

  4. The Steelers get a short week against a very rested Washington team (10 days off) that has been playing a lot better with Alex Smith. Roethlisberger has not been sacked in the last 4 games, but Washington’s front is legit. Steeler fans should not be looking past this one. That being said 15-1 with a loss outside the AFC still clinches the top seed.

  5. springfield says:

    Why is it that if you say we play “Tampa” it’s cool, everyone knows what you’re talking about. But if you said we play “Green” you’d be considered a maniac? Go Chiefs!

    ———————

    Because Tampa, FL, is a city. Green, WI, is not.

  6. The Steelers can clinch the division if they beat Cleveland when they play regardless of what else happens between now and the start of the playoffs. The only thing in question would be a seeding from 1-4.

  7. Steelers of course need their letdown before the playoffs, but if the Saints clinch the division, let Brees wait till the playoffs to play again. Big If …

  8. springfield says:
    December 3, 2020 at 4:40 pm
    Excuse me, Tampa “Bay”/Green “Bay”.
    _______________

    I hear what your getting at but its a bit of a stretch. Tampa is a City on Tampa Bay. The real issue should be the name “Tampa Bay Buccaneers” because Tampa Bay is not a city at all. Should just be the Tampa Bucs.. but I get it. It sounds dumb. So Tampa Bay it is.. All in good fun. Go Chiefs!

  9. Playoffs?! Steelers fans are seeing once again, that their team is playing down to the level of their opponents. At this point, for the Steelers to clinch a playoff spot it’s more likely that the Raiders, Dolphins and Colts lose than the Steelers beat the W,FT on Monday afternoon.

  10. SteelerGuru808 says:
    December 3, 2020 at 4:26 pm
    “The Steelers can clinch the division if they beat Cleveland when they play regardless of what else happens between now and the start of the playoffs. The only thing in question would be a seeding from 1-4.”
    _________________________

    Good insight. With 5 games remaining for both teams, should the Steelers lose 4 and win against Cleveland, who in turn win 4 and lose against the Steelers, they both end up with a 12-4 record, and the Steelers win the division with the tiebreaker.

  11. Losing Bud Dupree just means the almighty Pittsburgh Steelers win the Super Bowl by 17 points instead of 24. Alex Highsmith the rookie OLB is legit.

  12. Home field or not, the Steelers can’t keep up with the Chiefs. Mahomes and the Chiefs offense is just so far and away better than everyone else that they will win it all.

  13. Everyone likes to talk about how the Chiefs and Steelers are the only teams to beat. Steelers have games they have struggled and the Chiefs came dangerously close to losing to the Chargers and a fg away from losing to the Panthers. If Pitt and KC met we are talking 8 weeks away. A lot can happen from now til then.

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