If the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to make the playoffs this season, they have very little margin for error.
Thanks to a couple of mis-steps against inferior teams in the middle of the year and some untimely injuries, Pittsburgh is really up against it with five games to go before the end of the season. Let’s take a look at how they got here and what the Steelers playoff chances are now.
So far the Steelers have lost five games, a couple of which could easily have gone the other way.
Week 1 at New England: Nobody in their right mind really expected Pittsburgh to upset the reigning Super Bowl champions on their big night in the season opener. At least Ben Roethlisberger made it interesting in the second half.
Week 4 vs. Baltimore: This one really stung. The Steelers had several chances to ice the game but thanks to some questionable playcalling and a pair of missed field goals by Josh Scobee the Ravens were able to steal a win. Had Pittsburgh come out on top, they would have had a five-game win streak going before facing the team that’s become their biggest road block…
Week 7 at Kansas City: Thanks to Big Ben’s injury they had to start Landry Jones at quarterback, and the results were not pretty. Jones threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball late which sealed the deal.
Week 8 vs. Cincinnati: Here we had another very winnable game at home against a division opponent, but Roethlisberger was rusty coming off of his MCL injury and he threw three interceptions, which eventually cost the Steelers the game.
Week 12 at Seattle: Winning in Seattle is a tall order, especially with Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant being covered by the Legion of Boom. It’s hard to fault the Steelers for coming short here but it makes the margin for error that much thinner going forward.
So, where do the Steelers go from here?
Of the five remaining games on their schedule, only two look truly daunting. After this week’s tilt with the Colts they face the Bengals again, followed by the Broncos. Losing either one of those games might be the final straw that breaks the back of their playoff hopes.
According to fivethirtyeight, the Steelers have an exact 50 percent chance of making the tournament right now.
The trouble is that the Chiefs lead at 6-5 thanks to the tie-breaker, and they have a much easier schedule for the rest of the year. They are projected to have a 77 percent chance of making it. That loss in Kansas City is looming rather large. The Chiefs are also on a roll, having won five games straight.
Next: Steelers vs. Colts: Fantasy Outlook
Pittsburgh can still make the dance with a little luck, but there’s no more room for loose ends.