It feels crazy because they’re one of the NFL’s greatest franchises, but the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. It’s been frustrating because they have made the playoffs. However, they’ve basically gotten steamrolled in the postseason since their last win. This year, there was hope that would change, but the past few weeks have not helped fuel that narrative. Analyst Rich Eisen certainly feels less confident in the Steelers now.
“The last couple of weeks in Pittsburgh have just been so deflating for the fan base,” Eisen said Monday on The Overreaction Monday Podcast. “We thought we’d finally gotten through the last few years of just middling our way into a winning record in the playoffs only to get boat-raced by a clearly better opponent in the playoffs.
“They thought they’d gotten through that. Then, the last couple of weeks makes them feel like it’s just reverting to that mean. Pittsburgh is not going to win the division.”
Although the Steelers can still win the AFC North, it isn’t very likely. For that to happen, they need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Cleveland Browns must beat the Baltimore Ravens. At this point, it probably isn’t wise to have a lot of faith in the Browns.
For that matter, Eisen is correct that it’s tough to trust the Steelers. They’ve lost three straight games in miserable fashion. Their defense doesn’t look as reliable as it once was, and the cracks are starting to show with Russell Wilson. The Steelers haven’t looked like AFC North champions.
There’s still time for all of this to change. The Steelers have one regular-season game left to prove they are a different team this year. Even if they don’t win the division, beating the Bengals could say a lot about them.
The Steelers could find themselves facing a few different opponents during the first round of the playoffs. The most likely opponents for them seem to be the Houston Texans or Baltimore Ravens.
If the Steelers draw the Ravens, they could find themselves being one-and-done in the playoffs again. The Ravens did just beat them down a few weeks ago. However, the Steelers beating the Texans feels plausible. Last year, the Texans thumped the Steelers, but both teams look very different this year. In that matchup, the Steelers would likely have a fighting chance.
All of this depends on the results of this week’s games. Not only will the playoff picture be solidified, but we’ll know more about what kind of team the Steelers are. If they stumble again and lose to the Bengals, it might not matter who their playoff opponent is. That version of the Steeles doesn’t look like a threat to any playoff team.
