The Pittsburgh Steelers had a simple assignment in Week 17—take care of business against the 3-12 Cleveland Browns, and the AFC North title is theirs. Unfortunately, Mike Tomlin's team squandered a golden opportunity.
From the very first snap to the final play of the game, Aaron Rodgers and Coach Tomlin seemed to be more concerned with ensuring that Myles Garrett didn't break T.J. Watt's sack record than they were about beating the Browns and cashing their ticket into the playoffs.
Rodgers got rid of the ball quickly and seemed to have eyes on Garrett at all times. This greatly limited the offense to just 4.3 yards per pass attempt in the 13-6 loss.
There were other factors at play as well. The suspension of DK Metcalf forced players like Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Adam Thielen, and Scotty Miller into bigger roles, of which they all fell short.
This was it; the chance to earn the equivalent of a Week 18 'bye' before the playoffs. Now, the worst scenario entering the season finale is officially unfolding.
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter win-or-go-home territory in Week 18 against the Baltimore Ravens
The Pittsburgh Steelers were sitting pretty entering Week 17. The 7-8 Baltimore Ravens were set play the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field without quarterback Lamar Jackson, while the 9-6 Steelers had a chance to rest players late in the season.
But in two days time, everything changed.
The Ravens upset the Packers, thanks to a monster performance from running back Derrick Henry. Then, needing a win to avoid pressure in Week 18, the Steelers fell flat against the Browns.
With a Houston Texans win this weekend over the LA Chargers, the Steelers cannot make the playoffs as a Wild Card seed. Instead, only one playoff scenario remains: defeat the Ravens in Week 18 and host a home playoff game in January, or lose and miss the playoffs.
Shame on Mike Tomlin and company for allowing everything to all come down to this.
Now the only way the Steelers can enter the postseason and attempt to snap an eight-year drought without a playoff win is by beating the Ravens in Baltimore in the Week 18 season finale.
Against the Browns, the Steelers hardly looked like a team deserving of making the playoffs. To make matters worse, tight end Darnell Washington suffered a broken arm, and DK Metcalf will miss the final game due to his two-game suspension. This team has nobody to blame but themselves for the nightmare scenario they just entered.