Where do Steelers fit in the AFC Playoff Picture After Week 5?
By Tommy Jaggi
It didn't take long for the Pittsburgh Steelers to lose their pole position in the AFC North. Their biggest rivals got off to a slow start in 2024, and Mike Tomlin's team held a two-game lead over the Ravens, Bengals, and Browns after Week 3. The outlook has since shifted.
The Steelers are coming off their second straight loss -- this time to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 5. While Cincinnati and Cleveland continue to bury themselves in the standings, the Ravens are surging.
Because of the results of the past two weeks, Baltimore is currently in the driver's seat in the AFC North with the Steelers as the number two seed. Both teams have a 3-2 record, but the Ravens have a win against a divisional opponent (they defeated the Bengals 41-38 in Week 5).
So how do the results of Week 5 impact the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL playoff picture?
Steelers would be a Wild Card team if the season ended today
A week ago, the Steelers were in sole possession of first place in the AFC North, which meant they were on track to host a playoff game at Acrisure Stadium. But we know how fast the tides can change in the NFL.
Following the results of Week 5, the Steelers would be a wild card team if the season ended today and Pittsburgh would be slated to play the Bills on the road in Buffalo. Ironically, this would be the exact same playoff matchup Mike Tomlin's team had last year before quickly being eliminated from the postseason.
Currently, the Chiefs own the number one seed in the AFC, and after the Texans defeated the Bills, they sit as the number two seed in the conference with a 4-1 record.
The good news for Pittsburgh is that the competition for wild card spots isn't as stiff as it's been in years past. If the season ended today, the Denver Broncos and LA Chargers would make the playoffs as the two other Wild Card teams. The Steelers defeated both of these opponents already this season and would own head-to-head tiebreakers over them if it came down to it.
We still have roughly three-quarters of a season to go, and there's plenty of time for things to change. The Steelers and Ravens hold the same 3-2 record entering Week 6, and a division title is hardly lost at this point for Pittsburgh.
After dropping two straight games, Mike Tomlin's team needs a bounce-back performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6 if the Steelers want to avoid falling out of the playoff picture.