The Pittsburgh Steelers have already made a massive jump in the AFC playoff picture, climbing to the No. 6 seed before even taking the field for their Week 7 game. This isn’t some hypothetical; it’s already done thanks to a Thursday night stunner.
Patriots Plummet, Steelers Rise
The shift came after the Chicago Bears went out and dropped the New England Patriots 30-21. What a result, right? New England was sitting pretty at the No. 5 seed going into that matchup, but that loss absolutely crushed them, sending them tumbling all the way down to No. 9 in the conference standings. Ouch. With the Patriots freefalling, the Denver Broncos slid into the No. 5 spot, the Steelers snatched up No. 6, and the Baltimore Ravens now hold No. 7. Talk about movement before Sunday even kicks off!
A Look at the AFC and a Crazy Sunday Scenario
Here’s how the AFC is stacked as we head into the weekend:
* Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
* Buffalo Bills (5-1)
* Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2, with a win over CLE)
* Cleveland Browns (4-2, 2-0 vs PIT & BAL, loss to JAX)
* Denver Broncos (4-2, 2-1 AFC)
* Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2, loss to CLE, 1-1 AFCN, 2-2 AFC)
* Baltimore Ravens (4-2, loss to CLE, 0-1 AFCN)
* Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)
* New England Patriots (4-3)
* Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)
* New York Jets (2-4, 2-1 AFC)
* Indianapolis Colts (2-4, win over HOU, 1-4 AFC)
* Houston Texans (2-4, loss to IND)
* Tennessee Titans (1-5)
* Miami Dolphins (0-5)
* Los Angeles Chargers (0-6)
And get this: the Steelers could make an even crazier leap. If they snag a win and the Cleveland Browns somehow drop their game against the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh would surge all the way into the No. 3 seed! The Jacksonville Jaguars are on a bye, so they’d stay at 4-2, leaving that No. 3 spot open for the taking. Plus, there’s been some other team news: DE Sebastian Joseph-Day was placed on IR, safety Rayshawn Jenkins was released, and CB Jalen Ramsey just got named AFC Defensive Player of the Week! Although, it sounds like T.J. Watt’s wife isn’t too thrilled about the NFL sending them to Paris for this game.
The Steelers are set for a wild Sunday in Paris when they take on the New Orleans Saints at 9:30 AM EST. Keep those eyes glued to the screen, because if they get that win and the Browns stumble, we could be looking at a No. 3 seed by the end of the day. What a statement that would be!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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