The Pittsburgh Steelers’ game Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks isn’t a must-win situation in terms of their playoff chances. A win, however, certainly would help their cause.
According to the New York Times’ playoff simulator, the Steelers’ chances of making the postseason increase from 13% to 26% with a victory at Lumen Field. A loss would result in just a 5% chance for the Steelers to secure a wild-card spot.
The most likely way for the Steelers to advance to the playoffs is for them to beat Seattle in Week 17 and Baltimore in Week 18 and then avoid a tiebreaker with any of the AFC South teams that have beaten them this season. That would be Jacksonville, Houston and Indianapolis. Like the Steelers, all three of those teams own 8-7 records heading into the final two weeks.
A Steelers loss to Seattle would be deflating but not entirely crippling. It would help their chances if Buffalo lost at home to New England earlier in the day. A Buffalo victory would require the Steelers to get wins from the Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.
In that scenario — others may exist — the Steelers also would need to win at Baltimore to finish 9-8 and make the playoffs. That is, if the New York Times computer hasn’t been afflicted with a virus and is providing false hope for Steeler Nation.
