The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their Week 15 game Sunday afternoon at home against the New England Patriots. As for the rest of the NFL weekend schedule, there are a few games that should interest Steelers fans starting on Saturday, so below is your rooting interest guide for the remaining games in addition to the AFC seeding picture entering the weekend’s contests.
Buccaneers (5-8) at Ravens (7-6): Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
The Baltimore Ravens gave away one last weekend to the Kansas City Chiefs as they had the No. 1 seed in the AFC on the ropes late in the contest. The Chiefs, however, battled back late in the fourth quarter and eventually won the game in overtime. Baltimore remains just a half a game behind the Steelers in the AFC North division entering Week 15 and thus a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Sunday combined with a Pittsburgh loss to the Patriots would then have them in first with two weeks remaining in the regular season. While Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson will continue to start on Sunday against the Buccaneers, Joe Flacco is now reportedly healthy enough to be his backup. Jackson, by the way, has averaged just 150 yards passing in his four starts. Cheer on the Buccaneers to pull the road upset on Sunday as the Steelers might need their help.
Texans (9-4) at Jets (4-9): Saturday 1:00 p.m. ET, NFL Network
The Houston Texans had their nine game winning streak snapped last Sunday by the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 15, the Texans can clinch a playoff spot and even the AFC South division title if other games go their way. The Texans enter Week 15 as the No. 3 seed in the AFC and the Steelers can obviously gain a game on them by beating the Patriots on Sunday and having the Texans lose on Saturday to the New York Jets on the road. In short, root for the Jets to pull off the Saturday afternoon upset as improbable as it might be.
Cowboys (8-5) at Colts (7-6): Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
As previously mentioned, the Colts knocked off the Texans last Sunday and that win now has them as the No. 7 seed in the AFC entering Week 15. A Colts win on Sunday combined with a Steelers loss to the Patriots could result in Pittsburgh being on the outside of the playoff picture looking in entering Week 16 depending on what the Ravens do on Sunday against the Buccaneers. With the Colts playing outside the AFC on Sunday, it should be easy for Steelers fans to root for the stomach-churning Dallas Cowboys to beat them. The Colts final game is against the Tennessee Titans and that could wind up being a very meaningful contest for both teams.
Dolphins (7-6) at Vikings (6-6-1): Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Thanks to their last-second win over the Patriots at home last Sunday, the Miami Dolphins are still very much alive in the playoff race entering Week 15. Sunday, they’ll face a Minnesota Vikings team that is also in a must-win situation at home. A Sunday win by the Dolphins could result in them being the No. 6 seed in the AFC entering Week 16 and the Steelers could be looking up at them if several things break wrong for them on Sunday. To be on the safe side, Steelers fans will probably want to root for the Vikings to beat the Dolphins on Sunday.
Titans (7-6) at Giants (5-8): Sunday 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
The Titans, like the Colts and Dolphins, still have a shot at not only making the playoffs entering Week 15, but winning their own division as well. Realistically, all three of those teams are potentially fighting for one Wild Card spot and the Steelers might be as well if they lose on Sunday to the Patriots. In fact, the Steelers could be behind all three of those teams entering Week 16 should several things go the wrong way on Sunday. In summation, Steelers fans will probably want to root for the Titans to lose on the road on Sunday to the New York Giants.
