Although they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, this week wasn’t a total disaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts both losing, the Steelers have clinched a playoff spot. It shouldn’t wash the bad taste out of their mouths, but it does mean they’re bound for the postseason.
“That’s our expectation, but we want to win this division,” QB Russell Wilson said after the Steelers’ 27-13 loss in Philadelphia via the team’s YouTube channel. “That’s our goal. That’s our first goal, to win the division. We have a lot of respect for this division, the teams, coaches, players in this division. At the same time, we gotta go take it. We gotta find a way, on the road, in Baltimore. We know it’s gonna be a great football game.”
That does have to be the Steelers’ mindset this week. They’ve got less than a week to prepare to face the Baltimore Ravens. As much as this loss to the Eagles stings, it doesn’t ruin their season. The Steelers do need to make some adjustments and learn from this loss, but they can’t dwell on it.
This next game against the Ravens will likely be the most important battle for the Steelers yet. If they win, they’ll secure the AFC North crown. However, if they lose, the pressure will be on in their final two games. They might be on top of their division right now, but the Ravens are just a game back of them.
Unfortunately, it seems like the Steelers might be without T.J. Watt next week too. That would be a gigantic blow. It’s unclear now, but it isn’t certain that Watt will suit up this week. With George Pickens already questionable after missing consecutive games with a hamstring injury, the Steelers could be facing an uphill battle.
Luckily, they’ve been underdogs since before the season started. They already beat the Ravens once this year, so they could do it again. Not having Watt or Pickens would hurt their chances, but the Steelers still have other talented players.
Wilson is right to be focused on the bigger picture. The difference between just making the playoffs and winning their division is huge for the Steelers. They’ve been too good this season to drop the division over the final few weeks of the year. Making the playoffs is nice, but it shouldn’t make the Steelers feel comfortable.
