3 biggest threats to Pittsburgh in the AFC playoff bracket
By Austin Lloyd
The Steelers could end up facing some rather solid talent before even reaching Super Bowl LV.
The 2020-21 NFL Playoffs are officially here. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been locked in as the number 3 team in the AFC bracket. As of now, all we know is that the Steel City will be welcoming the Cleveland Browns into their stadium, for the second time this season, on this upcoming Sunday for Wild Card Weekend. Beyond that, nothing is for certain as far as what the postseason has in store for Pittsburgh. Until further notice, all there is to do is predict.
One prediction worth making is that the Steelers will have no extensive trouble in getting past Cleveland during this first round. When you almost lose at home to backups, such an assumption is fair, to put it lightly.
However, there are some teams in this bracket that the Steelers could have to face afterward, and their performances tell quite a different story. With that said, here are the 3 most dangerous teams that could kick Pittsburgh out of contention for the Lombardi Trophy this February.
#3: Kansas City Chiefs
You read that right. The defending-champion Chiefs are no longer the biggest dog in the AFC ring. In fact, they aren’t even second place. This superstar squad has looked very lackluster in the past 9 weeks or so, and in that same span, some fellow AFC teams have really boosted their caliber of play (we’ll get to them later).
There isn’t much to say here, other than the fact that Kansas City fans better be hoping their team has some of that Brady-Belichick magic: make the playoffs, then start popping off. Because if not, then the Steelers on a good enough day would have a decent chance to win in a matchup like this, even on the road.
These next two teams, meanwhile, have already given Pittsburgh a taste of what they’re made of, and what that’s been like so far leaves fans with a rather bleak outlook.