Steelers Playoffs Chances: Wild-Card Berth Unlikely, 2021 Division Hopes Fading In Week 14

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an uphill battle to make the playoffs. After losing to the Minnesota Vikings 36-28 Thursday night, the Steelers find themselves a game out of a crowded Week 14 playoff picture.

Pittsburgh has sole possession of the No. 10 seed in the AFC with four games left in the 2021 regular season. With the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts in-between the Steelers and the No. 7 seed Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh’s odds of earning a wild-card berth are not high.

FiveThirtyEight’s prediction model gives the Steelers a 9% chance to make the postseason. Pittsburgh’s odds of winning the division are just 2%.

The Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos are both favored to win their games Sunday and move ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings.

Thursday’s loss put Pittsburgh two games behind the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North. The Steelers upset the Ravens with a 20-19 victory in Week 13.

The Cincinnati Bengals are a game ahead of Pittsburgh for second place in the division. Cincinnati has beaten Pittsburgh twice.

The Steelers might have the most difficult remaining schedule in the league, set to face three first-place teams. Pittsburgh hosts the Tennessee Titans next week before visiting the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16. After hosting the Browns, the Steelers will visit Baltimore in Week 18.

Once the team’s strength, the defense has let Pittsburgh down. The Steelers have lost three of their last four contests, giving up at least 36 points in each game.

Ben Roethlisberger has a 92.1 passer rating in what’s expected to be his final NFL season.