It was quite the Week 17 in the AFC North. The Cleveland Browns opened the week on Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets and clinched a spot in the AFC playoffs with a thrilling 37-20 win over the Jets as veteran quarterback Joe Flacco continued his storybook run.
Then, on Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens blew out the Miami Dolphins, 56-19, clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs while winning the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers followed that up by going on the road and defeating the Seattle Seahawks, 30-23, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
But it was a bad day to be the Cincinnati Bengals. On the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals blew a 17-7 lead, losing 25-17. In the process, the Bengals were eliminated from the AFC playoffs and clinched last in the AFC North, meaning the Steelers won’t finish last in the division once again, extending their streak to 34 years without a last-place finish.
The Steelers are now locked into third place in the AFC North.
AFC North Standings
1. Baltimore Ravens: 13-3
2. Cleveland Browns: 11-5
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7
4. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
Coming off the win over Seattle, the Steelers still sit in ninth in the playoff picture behind the Houston Texans in eighth and the Indianapolis Colts in seventh.
The Steelers’ path to the playoffs is a bit confusing with a lot of things that need to go one way or another in Week 18, but Steelers Depot’s own Joe Clark laid out the path to the playoffs for the Black and Gold here.
Pittsburgh’s playoff odds increased to 28% with the win over the Seahawks, too. Still a good chance to make the playoffs, especially with the Baltimore Ravens potentially sitting starters next Sunday with the No. 1 seed already locked up and nothing to play for.
Kansas City Chiefs 25, Cincinnati Bengals 17
Coming off a 34-11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that all but sunk their season officially, the Cincinnati Bengals had a chance to bounce back on the road in Week 17 against a floundering Kansas City Chiefs team.
The Bengals got off to a good start as they took a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter on a 34-yard field goal from Evan McPherson. The Chiefs responded as running back Isiah Pacheco scored on an 8-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes, giving the Chiefs a 7-3.
It was mostly all Cincinnati after that though as the Bengals jumped out to a 17-7 lead in the second quarter. Joe Mixon scored on a 7-yard pass from Jake Browning and then Browning added a 1-yard touchdown later in the second quarter. Two late field goals from Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker made it a 17-13 game at the half.
Coming out of the break, the Chiefs took over for good, leaning heavily on the right leg of Butker, who drilled field goals of 27, 24, 48 and 46 yards in the second half, leading the Chiefs to a 25-17 win, clinching the AFC West in the process for the defending Super Bowl champs.
In the win over the Bengals, Mahomes completed 21-of-29 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown. Pacheco had 18 carries for 130 yards and added seven receptions for 35 yards and a score, and wide receiver Rashee Rice had five receptions for 117 yards.
For the Bengals, Browning threw for 197 yards and one touchdown on 19-of-33 passing, while Mixon ran for 65 yards on 21 carries. Ja’Marr Chase, after taking trash on the Chiefs’ defense earlier in the week, had just three receptions for 41 yards to lead the Bengals. The Chiefs sacked Browning six times in the win.
