Why You Should Bet On The Steelers To Make The Playoffs

With just one week left in the NFL regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers' path to the playoffs is extremely narrow. After starting the season just 2-6, Mike Tomlin's squad has gone 6-2 over their last eight games. That includes a 16-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens last week, thanks to a game-winning drive by Kenny Pickett, to keep their playoff hopes alive.

With that win, Pittsburgh can still capture the final AFC wildcard spot, and at +350 at DraftKings, I think that's a bet worth taking.

Pittsburgh's Path to the Postseason

A lot will need to go right in order for the Steelers to play beyond Week 18. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, they don't control their own destiny. Right now, the Steelers are 8-8 on the season and tied in the standings with New England and Miami. Pittsburgh lost to both of those teams earlier in the season, which is why the Patriots currently sit in the No. 7 seed and Miami in the No. 8 seed.

In order to jump either team for the final Wild Card spot, not only does Pittsburgh need to beat the Browns on Sunday, but they will need a little help from a few other teams. They'll need the Bills to beat the Patriots and the Jets to beat the Dolphins. If all that happens, the Steelers are in. Here's why I think it's worth a gamble.

Browns vs. Steelers

Pittsburgh will have revenge on their minds when they meet Cleveland on Sunday. The Browns beat the Steelers 29-17 on Thursday Night Football back in Week 3. However, the dynamics of that game were much different. Mitch Trubisky was Pittsburgh's starter at the time with Pickett as the backup. After that game, Tomlin made the move to bench Trubisky and move Pickett into the starting role moving forward.

Over the last few weeks, Pickett has stepped up and made some big-time plays, showing why he can be a special player in this league. The Steelers' offensive line has also gotten better as the season has gone on. Plus, there is plenty of motivation for them to win this game, not only so they have a shot at keeping their season alive, but to keep Tomlin's streak of 15 straight seasons without a losing record alive.

Patriots vs. Bills

The Bills should be able to handle the Patriots at home in Week 18. Buffalo already beat New England by two touchdowns on the road back in Week 13 thanks to their defense suffocating the Pats' offense. Mac Jones only threw for 182 yards in that game and the team only acquired 60 total yards on the ground. While New England needs a win in order to make the playoffs, the Bills will also need a win in order to clinch the top seed in the AFC, pending the outcome of their game against the Bengals.

Jets vs. Dolphins

This is the game that I'm most worried about when it comes to the Steelers getting the help they need. The Jets have been officially eliminated from playoff contention while the Dolphins need to win (and have the Bills beat the Pats) in order to get in. That said, Tua Tagovailoa is still sidelined after suffering a concussion and backup QB Teddy Bridgewater injured his hand last week. That means Skylar Thompson will likely get the start under center. Thompson took over after Bridgewater left the game in Week 17 and didn't look all that impressive. The Jets may not be playing for much, but they still have one of the top defenses in the league that can fluster an inexperienced QB.

All would have to go according to plan, but if the Steelers beat the Brown, the Bills beat the Patriots and the Jets beat the Dolphins, you'll be well on your way to cashing a +350 ticket.

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