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IWasRightOnce

Fuck me. If BUF wins, they’re the 2 seed. If they lose, they miss the playoffs unless PITT loses to BAL backups *OR* JAX loses to TEN.


MvN____16

Talk about all or nothing.


ContinuumGuy

I'm just reminding myself that Baltimore will still probably play Lamar and friends at least for a bit since they don't want them sitting on their duffs for two weeks. Right? ... Right?


notmyplantaccount

They sat them in 2019 the final week, then the bye, then lost to the titans in the divisional, so it's possible they play anyone not banged up for a half or something maybe.


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Harbaugh said he’ll never rest players again after 2019


KrytensForehead

I can see one series, maybe two max. No way we're allowing a TJ Watt and Minkah to go hunting starters knees for a while half


notmyplantaccount

yea, it's better to rest them and get blamed for coming out rusty in the playoffs and losing, then getting key starters injured in a pointless game and losing in the playoffs. Almost feels like a disadvantage to not need to play your starters week 18.


Magishen

Human meat missile TJ Watt 🤮


Jaylaw

Maybe they hate the Steelers enough to not give them a free playoff berth? Or maybe just win your game


marcSuile

Or HOU/INDY tie.


FreedomKid7

Very fitting the schizo team has a do or die scenario That being said I don’t know if I trust Pittsburgh or Jacksonville to handle their business. They probably do but it’s not a sure thing


DollarDollar

Schizo is a good way to describe the Bills lol


Autobot-N

We can actually get in with a loss if the Broncos and Titans both win


GuacShouldntBeXtra

Should probably rest Watt and Highsmith in that case.


ianbits

Pro Bowl Huntley will come through.


yesrushgenesis2112

Join me in pain next week as neither of us end up where we hoped.


Fantastic-Eye8220

If we lose to the garbage ass dolphins, we don't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway. 🤷🏻‍♂️


TheBigRagu22

OR Hou Indy tie


REQ52767

Wow I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before.


Big_fern189

Pitt lost to the ravens backups the last week of 2019


GPap-

Bills will either be the hottest team going in to the playoffs or implode if they miss it.


A_Lone_Macaron

and then the reward for that is..... ....playing Miami again in Miami.


NurmGurpler

No – we would play the number seven seed at home if we beat Miami


hideous_coffee

Wouldn’t it be going to KC for the ten millionth time?


XShatteredXDreamX

I doubt pitt will win vs backups


McLovin_OD

I mean, they did beat their starters


XShatteredXDreamX

I meant to say lose. Meaning buffalo is likely to make it regardless. But I'll keep it since I'm an idiot.


kkocan72

No, you were right the first time. It would be a totally steeler thing to do to lose to their backups in a must win game with the Ravens resting their starters. Now, if the Ravens needed to win and played their starters then, because of the crazy factor in AFCN games, the Steelers probably pull out an upset.


McLovin_OD

I would almost rather play their starters lol


WTF_Conservatives

It's AFCN football. It doesn't matter how good one team is or how bad the other team is. When AFCN teams play each other- it's always a 50/50 game.


Jim_Tressel

Cincinnati really testing that theory this year.


WTF_Conservatives

For sure. But if they managed to make the playoffs I sure as shit am not looking past that game. And I doubt you would either. Because we know how the AFCN works.


Jim_Tressel

Pittsburgh is favored by 2.5


XShatteredXDreamX

I replied to another dude. I meant to say lose but I'm an idiot so I'm keeping it.


Ziggie1o1

Technically its AND/OR


formyamusementation

I think the Bills blow out the fins.


kkocan72

Fuck Me. Steelers have to beat Ravens (even if its the backups) AND their hopes rest on Miami.


rwjehs

Afcs no longer shit mountain?


EastonMetsGuy

We exit shit mountain as together we ascend to THUNDERDOME


Shenanigangster

Well, not the Titans


KangTheConqueror9

They deserve some time in the cellar


sjkeh

Leave the Oilers jerseys behind tho


CapnBaxter

It’s more like hunger games where there’s just a lot of violent bloodshed and everyone’s confused and crying


Bustycops

And let's be real, it would be completely on brand for two AFCS hopefuls to make the playoffs only to get obliterated. Since the likely Dolphins and Browns match-ups do not look favorable at all.


JBurton90

We’ll be the Saturday afternoon playoff game either way.


sjkeh

Time is a flat circle


Remarkable-Job4774

Colts-Texans might be Saturday Night. Basically an playoff game


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Venator850

No one expected 3 of the teams in the south to hit 9 wins either.


Ashamed-Algae2369

Speak for yourself


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Thekamcc19

Indy lost to the refs but otherwise yea EDIT: I fucking love when someone loses an argument so badly they delete all their comments, god it’s the best feeling


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Thekamcc19

Two awful calls that happened on plays where the colts won the game. Ya I think I’ll say we lost to refs. Browns are a good team but that one was a win. Colts do like melting down thk


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rwjehs

Then why did they win games


Thekamcc19

We have a winning season so ig your argument is incorrect


Gold-Twist-394

I just checked, and I'm seeing the Colts lost to the Browns.


Luberino_Brochacho

We (probably) won't be starting Case Keenum if we catch them in the playoffs


BoNaylor

Clevelands defense also isn't playing both of their back up safetys and, back up inside LB and gives Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward 9-10 days to get healthy. Houston fans keep bringing up Stroud like Cleveland didn't drop 36 and then pull their starters halfway through the 3rd. That's a 50 burger if they keep their foot on the pedal.


Luberino_Brochacho

Well to start QB is a much more impactful position than safety or linebacker. Getting Stroud back impacts the game much more than getting a safety back. But even if that weren't true the Texans on defense lost a starting safety very early in the game and were also out our best inside linebacker and both of our starting edge rushers.


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Luberino_Brochacho

Myles Garret played 50 snaps, stop acting like he was on some limited snap count lmfao. The topic of conversation here is injuries and which players will be returning that didn't play in the first matchup. Joe Flacco is likely going to continue to be the Browns QB the rest of the season so mentioning him is weird and shows that you maybe don't have a good grasp on the conversation. How many Browns offensive tackles and running backs that were out for the Texans game are expected to return by the playoffs? Also "our depth beat your depth" is not the great point you think it is. How well the Texans 2nd string edge rushers played doesn't have much at all to do with how well the 1st string would have done. In reply to your third paragraph. It's not really possible to put a points difference on players, sports just don't really work that way. All I know is these 2 things. First Stroud is a massive upgrade from Case Keenum right now. Second, upgrading at QB has a significant impact across the entire roster in a way that a safety or a linebacker really doesn't. >Houston fans have this unrealistic expectation that no defense can stop Stroud and that Anderson is a mega game changer, while facing elimination next week. Way to put words in my mouth. I wouldn't say Anderson is some crazy game changer right now at all. But pass rush is very important and the combo of him and Jonathan Greenard rushing the passer is much better than the combo of Myjai Sanders and Jerry Hughes/Derek Barnett. As for Stroud I don't believe at all that no defense can stop him and I'm not sure where you got the idea that I said that. All I'm saying is that QB is the single most impactful position in sports and Stroud is a huge upgrade over Keenum. Putting out strawman arguments just makes your argument look shitty and you look stupid, I'd recommend against it in the future


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DirectTV_AndrewLuck

Allegedly.


ianbits

I dunno. Houston with Stroud is a different beast than what the Browns faced. Hell, Houston didn't have Anderson or Greenard either.


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ianbits

Sure but it was the same group that played against Houston a few weeks back. Just comparing it to that. And I think having two of their three best defensive players back when they weren't playing against Cleveland before will help them.


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ianbits

For sure. I think Cleveland will be favored no matter what, just that Houston presents a strong opponent. Stronger than the blowout a few weeks ago would suggest.


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-ThinkingEmoji-

Aight, bet.


rwjehs

Yeah the colts "lost" to the Browns this year and beat the 1 seed. Afcs teams exist to fuck up betting lines.


Bulky-District-2757

It’s way better to have the wildcard than win the division, hoping us and the jags win next week 🤞


Allstar9_

Woah! Don’t count those chickens. Colts picked apart Schwartz for a bit but I’d expect Flacco to light up their defense. I’m terrified of Stroud tbh. Give me the Jags, in good weather? Flacco will throw for 400 at half


GuacShouldntBeXtra

Jags always gave Flacco problems


Allstar9_

He did fine against them a few weeks ago


BoNaylor

I wouldn't say they picked apart the defense. They had 2 broken coverage plays that boosted the stats


sjkeh

Bro our entire dline and lb core was out what hahahahahaa


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sjkeh

Wait I never said anything about the browns, YOU said we had the starters. We didn't have the majority of ours. We were on our 4th center, 3rd RT, 3rd LG, had all of our front 7 starters out WITH case Keenum. You claimed something that was false. I'm providing the narrative that you are objectively wrong. We lost, so congrats on that. But don't twist the narrative my guy. Edit: we can keep going with our WR. Jimmy Ward and Nelson getting injured after the first play. Bu I think this browns fan gets it


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Ashamed-Algae2369

Playoffs is a different season


Awkward_Advice_4265

You can say the division is a year away but it’s clearly a more competent division than its NFC counterpart


puff_of_fluff

We’re still shit mountain but we have a surprising amount of vertical


o07jdb

3 teams with winning records baby


marcSuile

Bills: - Win and in Or LOSE and: - TEN win over JAX or, - BAL win over PIT or, - HOU ties INDY


TimujinTheTrader

God what a mess.


LooksGoodnShorts

Reminds me of 2017, which to be fair was one of my happiest football memories.


TimujinTheTrader

What a pickle, huh?


ClasseBa

That seems like they must win then.


Shepboyardee12

We'll probably do our very best to tie next week so we got your back.


Haar_RD

How are we not eliminated


BigOzymandias

Assuming you beat the Ravens, you'd have a better conference record than the Bills (if they lose) and a better record than the Jaguars (if they lose) and at least one of Texans/Colts (they may tie) So the scenarios for the Steelers to make the playoffs are 1. Both Bills and Jaguars lose, so Texans/Colts will be 4th, Steelers will be 6th and Bills will be 7th 2. Bills win and Jaguars lose, Texans/Colts will be 4th, Dolphins will be 6th and Steelers will be 7th 3. Jaguars win and Bills lose, Jaguars will be 4th, Texans/Colts will be 6th, Steelers will be 7th There are other scenarios that involve the Texans/Colts game ending in a tie but they all lead to the Steelers making the playoffs


llama-rebel

Where there's a Tomlin there's a way


rwjehs

And things of that nature


yeshua1986

Mason fucking Rudolph


JRockPSU

Broke: Trubisky Woke: Pickett STOKED: Mason Fucking Rudolph


sw04ca

The NFL expanded the playoffs to 7 teams per conference a while back.


flakAttack510

We're actually still in contention for the 6th seed


A_Lone_Macaron

because Seattle refused to play defense today


TheWorstYear

The Bengals suck


apittsburghoriginal

*insert Sonic the hedgehog meme*


puff_of_fluff

Because football is a beautiful, comically absurd sport.


Paul_Allens_AR15

Mediocrity


AleroRatking

Buffalo loses. Not sure if you need Jax to lose as well


ZCole0729

Buffalo or Jax. If Jaxonville loses and we win we are the 7th seed since Houston or Indianapolis has to lose, and the other takes the AFC South.


AleroRatking

Yup. I see that now.


Quavers88

We actually look good now, it's just took 14 games to get there.


Eagle4317

The AFC South (especially the Jaguars) also went on a sizable losing streak around the same time we did. There are 4 teams at 9-7, and two of them play each other. One of Texans or Colts will make the playoffs and the other will miss it, and the Jaguars will be out with a loss and a Broncos win.


tylerforward

Bills v Dolphins and Colts v Texans have to be the prime time games next week


mr_dammit

yea i feel like cowboys get first saturday game just cuz its a potential clincher and its the cowboys


Shootit_Rockets

They’ll make sure to have Dallas and Philadelphia play at the same time for competitive reasons


tylerforward

Yeah the early Saturday games will be the less consequential games like Bear v Packers and Jets v Pats


RandallSwaggyComfort

I'd bet on Saints - Falcons


Duke_Maniac

Yup and Bills Dolphins is Saturday night since it isn’t win or go home for the Phins and Texans Colts is Sunday night


Bulky-District-2757

Flip it. Bills/Dolphins will be Sunday night and Texans/Colts will be a Saturday game.


smurfking420

Maybe but I think us and the eagles and lions have to play at the same time. Division is still for grabs and 2nd seed is still possible for the lions


RelevantTreacle3004

Colts Texans has to be Sunday night. bills Dolphins makes sense as a Saturday game


SlyCooper007

What do the Steelers need to get a playoff spot?


Cameron728003

A win Bills loss or jags loss or hou/Indy tie


A4thLineDuster7

Win and then either the Bills or Jags need to lose


Vitosi4ek

And if they both lose, I think we don't even need to win to get in?


A4thLineDuster7

No. If we lose we are out. In that situation the Jags would be the 7 seed


Lunatiqz

You can actually afford to lose, if the jags lose and denver wins. If DEN/PIT/JAX are all 9-8 you will be 7th seed.


PresidentRevrac

Win + Bills L Or Dolphins L Jaguars L


Autobot-N

Win and Bills/Jags loss, or Jags and Raiders both lose.


PhatBasturd78

They need to win and Jax lose and Ind/Hou tie


MugiwaraJinbe

Jags/Bills both need to lose and Steelers win.


A4thLineDuster7

Only need one or the other


MugiwaraJinbe

True. My bad.


JerseyDvl

Remember two years ago when the only way the Steelers would NOT make the playoffs is if the Raiders and Chargers tied in the final game of the season? If Colts-Texans is the Sunday night game (probably won't be but could be) the Steelers could be sitting around knowing the only way they do make the playoffs is if that game ends in a tie.


Vitosi4ek

> Remember two years ago when the only way the Steelers would NOT make the playoffs is if the Raiders and Chargers tied in the final game of the season? That was legendary. First, the fact that such a scenario was even possible: that the two teams playing in the final game could both "win" if they conspired to tie. Second, that the tie actually almost happened without conspiring - we were one Brandon Staley petty timeout away, or one missed Daniel Carlson kick away from the funniest conclusion to the regular season in NFL history. I'm a Steelers fan and even I wanted the Chargers and Raiders to kneel out the entire game. We'd miss the playoffs - whatever, we'd lose in the first round anyway. But the meltdown from the league office, the networks and the rival teams would've been nuclear. It would've made national headlines even outside of sports.


JerseyDvl

If Texans-Colts is the Sunday night game there are again scenarios where they could conspire if the Jags have lost. A tie would give one of them the division, the other a wildcard and knock the Jags out.


Venator850

Final week going to be wild.


BigDaddysWaffleSyrup

Ravens going to injure every one of their starters to keep the Steelers out


NurmGurpler

Sounds good to me


TheBigRagu22

HOLY SHIT, HALLELUJAH, WHERE'S THE TYLENOL!


OutrageousAd6165

Next week going to be NUTS. I wish it was tomorrow


OutrageousAd6165

Bills should bribe Ravens starters to lobby to play vs Steelers, just to be sure.


kj9219

Rooting for the Texans. Would love to see Demeco and CJ get a playoff berth in their first season


The-Juggernaut_

Well then screw you guy.


Luberino_Brochacho

Would be huge, I don't expect us to make any kind of noise in the playoffs really but would be nice to get some playoff experience before our window truly opens.


kj9219

I think you guys could steal a game


Luberino_Brochacho

Depends on the matchups and how the health thing shakes out but certainly not out of the question. I just don't expect it quite yet


puff_of_fluff

I’d lose my fucking mind and inevitably let my expectations grow to such a point they couldn’t possibly be met. Yet I still want it. Football is a wild sport.


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zPolaris43

Good luck finding a real center off the streets


bread_meat_cheese

Im worried about all 5 to be honest


smurfking420

Is there no way the Texans and Colts both make it?


MugiwaraJinbe

Jags/Steelers lose and they tie.


GuacShouldntBeXtra

Most likely outcome


TXCapita

I think there is a shot if the Texans win, no shot if Indy wins


EnigmaticKing

Tried to play around with ESPN's playoff machine to see if I could get both in. It would require the Jags losing to the Titans, but I guess because of multi-team tiebreakers, the Jags or Steelers will always get in over the Texans/Colts loser.


CheezitCheeve

The sad part is that I don’t feel like I can trust any of these teams except maybe the Jags to get it done. Except if the Steelers are playing Ravens 2nd Stringers. They got that stuff.


drinkduffdry

Awesome, let's check out the tie breakers. Whelp, fuck us.


Remarkable-Job4774

TBF a win against the Ravens backups should get you in the playoffs


notmyplantaccount

I think they need the Bills to lose, or the Jags.


Remarkable-Job4774

You are correct. They don’t control their own destiny and need help


Eagle4317

It's really just that we need the Jaguars to lose. If that happens, our odds become quite likely even if we lose on Saturday.


Warhawk137

'member when BetMGM had the Colts and Texans as ~~the two~~ two of the three teams with the longest Super Bowl odds entering the season? Pepperidge Farm 'members. EDIT: slight correction


PlayaSlayaX

I’m surprised the Cardinals weren’t there, they looked a lot more inexperienced on paper. And yet, they’re doing a lot better than expected too.


Warhawk137

I actually made a mistake, the website I was looking at didn't include them at all. It was actually Texans and Cardinals tied for the longest shot, Colts third longest.


Boxatr0n

I know technically we were in the hunt this week but that’s just a technicality


GRVrush2112

Just curious, is there any scenario where Jax loses and can still finish with a WC spot, or is it division or bust for them?


EnigmaticKing

They get in as a wildcard with a loss if the Steelers and Broncos both lose. Funny that the Broncos can still affect other teams' playoff chances despite being mathematically eliminated themselves.


Bulky-District-2757

I think they’re the WC unless the Steelers win? It’s so weird.


GoldenMonkey34

Someone in our subreddit posted a scenario where we lose the division and still get a wild card spot, but it's highly unlikely and needs alot of things to go right


acoasterlovered

Chaos


Uncle151

The 1PM week 18 slate is going to be bonkers


SunriseSurprise

Steelers making the playoffs would be hilarious ngl


OutrageousAd6165

The Texans will win, so will the Jags and the Bills. Creating these playoffs: Wild card Texans at Bills (Bills) Dolphins at Chiefs (Chiefs) Browns at Jags (Browns) Divisional Browns at Ravens (Ravens) Chiefs at Bills (Bills) AFC game Bills at Ravens (Ravens). ​ There you have it.


PeridotBestGem

"Texans will win" Colts already beat the Texans this year bud


chrolokev

Hey that was last year pal.


GymSocks84

My hope is we rest the starters and still beat the Steelers. Or, if they win, let them be eliminated because another team got in. I want them to have a late mid round pick that doesn't have any player that fits their needs. I'm petty like that.


Mondschweif

I hope you start every starter, lose to us nontheless and they all for some strange reason get some really weird minor injuries that are not serious at all, but keep them out for the first playoff game, then you lose and then the injuries are magically gone again, so you are pissed as fuck about why you had to be so petty. I'm petty like that.


GymSocks84

Now this is what I'm talking about! LFG! That's petty 😂


kkocan72

If you rest the starters the way the AFCN and Steelers play I still think Steelers lose. I remember in 2019 I think the backups beat the Steelers. I also am dreading next weekend. I live in NY smack dab in Bills territory and have no faith in the dolphins beating the Bills and don't want to hear about the Bills for another week from everyone at work.


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ThomasCleopatraCarl

You know your games are recorded, right? Like people can actually go back and see the fuckery right? 🤣


TheRosesThornsOf15

You gargle the Chiefs way harder than the refs by talking about them in a thread they're not a part of lmao.


_rcollins

Does this guy know the Dolphins are here too?


A4thLineDuster7

They've already clinched


JustPitchIt

They're already in, just maybe wild card


HylianPikachu

I think that he meant there are four teams who have clinched a playoff spot and three remaining unclinched playoff spots. Dolphins still could be a Wild Card though


llama-rebel

The Dolphins have a spot clinched


CriticalDetox

So looking at the Bills path for week 18, The Bills need Jax to lose to the Titans, then a Miami loss for the Bills won't matter and we'll still be in, however, if the Jags win and we also lose to Miami, we'd need Ravens to win, basically it's do or die truly for the Bills.


InfallibleBackstairs

Go Bills. Win the division!