How the Steelers Week 5 win affected the AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18). Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18). Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Steelers Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports
Steelers Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports /

What do Steelers need to do to get back on top?

If the Steelers win at Seattle at the end of week six, they should be 3-3 and tied with the Browns, and the Bengals should be 4-2 and the Ravens 5-1.  Pittsburgh would effectively be in third place, minus the tiebreaker, and play the Ravens, Jets, Browns, and Raiders after the Lions game.

The Steelers should, in that stretch, catch the Bengals as well. So really, what appeared to be in the AFC North basement has now changed to them potentially jumping to second place in their division.

The downside is that if the Ravens jump out to 6-1 in their next two games, while the Steelers can grab second place, it seems unlikely the Steelers will catch the Ravens. Sure, teams can collapse mid-season; it has happened before. Yet for that to happen, the Ravens would need to lose Lamar Jackson for the rest of the season, and it’s always possible.

While the win over the Broncos was huge and they stand a good shot of knocking off the Seahawks. Most importantly, at the end of week five, seeing the Steelers in the basement of the AFC North was difficult for fans to grasp, and in the span of a week, Pittsburgh could be on the verge of at least finishing second in the AFC North.

Related Story. NFL Power Rankings: Steelers climbing the ladder heading into Week 6. light

What a difference one week can make in the NFL. Yet the real battle for the AFC North begins November 28th as four of Pittsburgh’s last seven games are with AFC North opponents.