Despite being outpaced in total yardage, first downs, and time of possession in Week 14, the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to emerge victorious in their biggest game of the season. Beating the Ravens was essentially a two-game swing against their biggest AFC North rival, as Pittsburgh advances to 7-6 and Baltimore falls to 6-7.
The Steelers also currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Ravens. This upset road victory greatly increased Mike Tomlin's chances of advancing to the postseason, as NFL.com's Playoff Picture now gives Pittsburgh a 67 percent chance of making the tournament.
But the win over the Ravens wasn't the only boost the Steelers received in Week 14.
The Indianapolis Colts suffered a catastrophic injury in Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Quarterback Daniel Jones went down on a non-contact injury, which was quickly revealed to be an Achilles injury. NFL insider Ian Rapoport later confirmed that Jones indeed suffered a ruptured Achilles and will undergo surgery. He will miss the remainder of the season.
In Jones' first 12 games as a member of the Colts, he led his new team to an 8-4 record before exiting the game early in Week 14. Now, this once sure-fire playoff team could crumble in the home stretch of the 2025 season—opening another avenue for the Steelers to enter the playoffs.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' playoff opportunities increase after a devastating injury to the Indianapolis Colts' QB Daniel Jones
We never wish for injuries to opponents. Jones was playing the best football of his career, and his story as a former busted first-round pick-turned MVP candidate was one of the best storylines to root for around the NFL this season. However, there's no denying the ripple effect Jones' Achilles injury has on the rest of the AFC.
With Jones out for the season and with the Colts falling against the Jaguars on Sunday, this could be the beginning of the collapse of Indianapolis in 2025. 2023 first-round quarterback Anthony Richardson remains sidelined, so the Colts are forced to turn to sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard for help.
The Colts are expected to sign a veteran quarterback soon, but it's extremely unlikely that whatever roster addition they go with will help fill the void at QB. With a challenging schedule remaining, the 8-5 Colts' loss on Sunday dropped them from a Wild Card seed to a team on the playoff bubble.
So why is this important for a team like the Steelers?
Before Week 14, it looked like the only way Mike Tomlin's team could enter the AFC playoffs was by winning their own division. Though this is still their most likely route, the Steelers suddenly have another avenue to find themselves in the tournament.
Suppose the Ravens somehow get hot down the stretch and finish the season with a better record than the Steelers (which will likely require a Baltimore win against Pittsburgh in the season finale). In that case, the Steelers won't necessarily be eliminated.
The Steelers could still compete for the final Wild Card spot in the conference. This would require the collapse of a Wild Card team like the LA Chargers or the Houston Texans in the final stretch of the season. But with potentially one fewer team in the race, there's still technically a back door into the playoffs if Tomlin's team loses control of the division late in the season.