Depending on the outcome of another game played Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be champions of the AFC North before they step on the field Sunday to play the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field.
If the Baltimore Ravens (7-8) lose their game at the Green Bay Packers in prime time Saturday, the Steelers (9-6) would clinch the division championship for the first time since 2020.
Could it change how coach Mike Tomlin uses his starters against Cleveland?
“It may,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “I hadn’t thought about it at all.”
Tomlin said he didn’t realize until Tuesday that the Ravens were playing a day ahead of the Steelers’ visit to Cleveland.
“As I make plans today to lay a foundation, that is something of very little relevance to me,” Tomlin said. “I’ll have plenty of time to ponder those things after we get little more solid about preparing ourselves to play the Cleveland Browns.”
The Steelers have lost three consecutive games played in Cleveland and four of the past five road matchups against the Browns, who bring a 3-12 record into the game Sunday and have lost four in a row and seven of their past eight.
“At the doorstep of winning this division, I don’t take this opportunity lightly,” Tomlin said. “Divisions are won on the road in those hostile environments in those opposing cities. Certainly, we’ve had our issues in recent years in Cleveland. With that understanding, we are preparing and preparing with an edge.”
In 2024, the Steelers had a chance to clinch a division title in December only to lose their final four games in the regular season, plus a wild-card playoff game.
“We were in a similar circumstance a year ago at the doorstep in Baltimore and weren’t able to get it done,” Tomlin said. “And so I’m excited to be here but also urgent about where we are.”
