Like fans watching the game, oddsmakers didn’t enjoy seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers drop a winnable game to the Cleveland Browns last Thursday. After beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11, the Steelers were added to the Super Bowl contention conversation. Now, they seem to have returned to the outside-looking-in part of it.
According to CBS Sports via BetMGM, Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl odds have fallen from plus-1800 to plus-3000. That’s now eighth highest in the NFL. It’s fourth in the AFC and not even first in their own division, the Steelers lagging behind the Baltimore Ravens despite remaining ahead of them in the division standings.
Best Super Bowl Odds (AFC Teams)
Kansas City Chiefs: +450
Buffalo Bills: +650
Baltimore Ravens: +700
Pittsburgh Steelers: +3000
While Pittsburgh is in fourth place, there’s a wide gap behind the top three of the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens. Those three are clustered closely at the top with the Steelers are behind.
To kick off Week 12, Pittsburgh fell 24-19 to the Cleveland Browns. The defense couldn’t get key stops late while the running game has spun its wheels in recent weeks. Head coach Mike Tomlin made questionable decisions and the Steelers lost a close game, something they haven’t often done during Tomlin’s tenure. Questions about their offensive firepower remain while the pass-rush productivity hasn’t been as strong compared to recent years, the Steelers on pace to finish with just 38 sacks this season.
The Detroit Lions have the NFL’s best Super Bowl odds at +260. The next-closest NFC teams are the Philadelphia Eagles’ +650 followed by the Green Bay Packers at +1800. The odds suggest the NFC has clearer frontrunners than the AFC, a closer and more competitive landscape. That starts with the Chiefs, who are looking to become the first team to ever have a Super Bowl three-peat.
Pittsburgh’s odds can begin moving in the right direction with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday. But the true test will come in the ensuing weeks when the Steelers face the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs in back-to-back-to-back weeks.
