To get in...Not such a long shot....sort of

[mattb47]

All I'm saying is that we have a group of guys who have risen to challenges in the past when they've looked down and out and even the year we won the Super Bowl as the #6 team in the AFC we were looking out of it before we turned it on. It's not looking like that'll happen with the way we've been playing but we also know what our team is capable of if they wake up and I don't think ANY team wants to see us make the playoffs this year.

Right now there are a lot of things falling into place that are giving the Steelers hope of the playoffs and if they take advantage of that, they could sneak in and be dangerous.

[Munboy]

All I'm saying is that we have a group of guys who have risen to challenges in the past when they've looked down and out and even the year we won the Super Bowl as the #6 team in the AFC we were looking out of it before we turned it on. It's not looking like that'll happen with the way we've been playing but we also know what our team is capable of if they wake up and I don't think ANY team wants to see us make the playoffs this year.

Right now there are a lot of things falling into place that are giving the Steelers hope of the playoffs and if they take advantage of that, they could sneak in and be dangerous.

could have used a Bears win!

[mattb47]

Actually...the Broncos losing did exactly the same thing and could result in both us and the Ravens securing wildcard spots. This now seems like the best chance we have of getting in and it's actually a pretty solid chance.

[petedog9]

The Broncos have to go to Philly next weekend and thats gonna be a tough game for them to win. We need others to lose as well.. The Jets losing yesterday was also key... Screw the draft pick.. You can always trade up if the guy you want is there. Lets get a ticket to the dance and see what happens...

[Munboy]

The Broncos have to go to Philly next weekend and thats gonna be a tough game for them to win. We need others to lose as well.. The Jets losing yesterday was also key... Screw the draft pick.. You can always trade up if the guy you want is there. Lets get a ticket to the dance and see what happens...

This is what I'm saying! "You play to win the game!"

[petedog9]

Here's the kicker: if the 7-7 Steelers beat the 8-6 Ravens this Sunday at Heinz Field, they may actually control their playoff destiny heading into their regular-season finale Jan. 3 in Miami.

For that to happen, the Jets, Jaguars, Broncos and Texans have to lose this Sunday; all are underdogs in those games.

If such a scenario transpires, the Jets, Jaguars and Texans could finish no better than 8-8 and the Broncos would do no better than 9-7.

If the Steelers win out, the Dolphins would finish 8-8 at best, and the Ravens would finish no better than 9-7.

One plausible scenario given the remaining schedules of the teams in playoff contention would be the Steelers, Ravens and Broncos all finishing 9-7 and vying for the two AFC wild-card berths.

Under NFL guidelines for wild-card tiebreakers, the Ravens would eliminate the Steelers based on a better division record and get the No. 5 seed over the Broncos since they beat Denver earlier this season.

The final spot in the playoffs would come down to the Steelers and Broncos, and the defending Super Bowl champions would get in based on their 28-10 win Nov. 9 in Denver.

If the Titans would happen to win their remaining two games -- they play host to red-hot San Diego on Christmas -- and join the Steelers, Ravens and Broncos at 9-7, the Ravens and Steelers would still get the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds. The Steelers would get in because they have beaten the Broncos and Titans this season.