Rather a lot nonetheless has to go proper for the Pittsburgh Steelers to make the playoffs.
After what occurred this weekend, would you dare depend them out?
Kenny Pickett threw a 10-yard landing go to Najee Harris with 56 seconds remaining, giving the Steelers a 16-13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night time and improbably conserving their postseason hopes alive coming into the ultimate week of the common season.
“Actually happy with these guys in that locker room,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin stated. “One other difficult week, hostile surroundings, prime time tv on the road. However these guys didn’t blink.”
The Steelers (8-8) spent Sunday strolling the elimination tightrope, however by no means fairly falling off:
— Miami misplaced to New England. A win by the Dolphins would have knocked out Pittsburgh.
— The New York Jets misplaced to Seattle. If New York had gained, it wouldn’t have completely eradicated the Steelers, however it will have left them needing the Jets and Dolphins to play to a tie subsequent week for Pittsburgh to have any probability.
“They put our sport at 8, so was in a position to see among the stuff that was occurring,” Harris stated. “We noticed that, however we didn’t need to take note of that too much. We simply wished to concentrate to what we needed to do, and that was beat the Ravens.”
Pittsburgh trailed 13-9 and wanted to go 80 yards to achieve the tip zone towards a staff that hadn’t allowed a landing at dwelling since earlier than Halloween. Towards their rivals with the season on the road, the Steelers confronted third-and-8 from the ten. Pickett scrambled away from stress, and the rookie threw an ideal go to Harris, who had slipped behind linebacker Roquan Smith alongside the left sideline.
“It was simply form of, lengthen the play a bit bit,” Pickett stated. “I simply wished to maintain my eyes downfield and provides certainly one of our guys a shot.”
Pittsburgh can now make the playoffs by beating Cleveland subsequent weekend — if Miami and New England each lose. Final 12 months, the Steelers slipped into the postseason by beating the Ravens in extra time, and even then, they wanted Indianapolis to lose to a Jacksonville staff with the league’s worst report.
The playoff-bound Ravens (10-6) now want Buffalo to beat Cincinnati on Monday to maintain their hopes of profitable the AFC North alive. Baltimore allowed a touchdown at dwelling for the primary time in 4 video games, and it was a pricey one.
“It’s irritating defensively as a result of we preach end,” security Chuck Clark stated. “Proper there we didn’t end and do what we needed to do to get off the sector. We’ve obtained to get off the sector to assist the entire staff.”
Tyler Huntley threw a scoring go to Isaiah Seemingly late within the first half for the sport’s solely different landing.
The Steelers need assistance to make the playoffs, however they’ve full management of one other streak. They haven’t had a shedding report since 2003 — and so they by no means have underneath coach Mike Tomlin, now in his sixteenth season.
A penalty on Pittsburgh’s Cam Heyward led to the sport’s first landing. With the rating tied at 3 late within the second quarter, the Steelers stopped Baltimore on third down, however Heyward was known as for pointless roughness whereas on high of the pile. As an alternative of settling for a subject purpose, the Ravens had a brand new set of downs on the Pittsburgh 7 with 11 seconds left.
On the following play, Huntley threw to his left to Seemingly on the purpose line to place Baltimore up by seven.
The Ravens are 2-2 with out quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was sidelined once more with a knee damage. The passing sport appeared sharper Sunday than in a few of Huntley’s earlier motion, however he was intercepted on the finish of the sport after the Steelers took the lead.
Baltimore had simply 240 yards of offense.
“Very dissatisfied. Not certainly one of our higher performances in any respect,” coach John Harbaugh stated. “Teaching workers. Begin with that, begin with me. Recreation plan, all of it. Not adequate. Very disappointing.”
Harris ran for 111 yards for Pittsburgh. J.Ok. Dobbins ran for 93 yards for Baltimore.
STATS AND FACTS
Harris turned the primary participant all season to hurry for 100 yards towards the Ravens. Baltimore’s streak of 14 straight video games outrushing the opponent got here to an finish. Pittsburgh gained that battle 198-120. … The Ravens have misplaced simply 3 times in 22 prime time dwelling video games underneath Harbaugh. … The final three video games between Baltimore and Pittsburgh have ended 16-13, 16-14 and 16-13. The final six have been determined by 5 factors or fewer. … The Steelers have gained six of eight after a 2-6 begin. Solely Washington in 2020 and Cincinnati in 1970 have made the playoffs after beginning 2-6.
INJURIES
Steelers LB Myles Jack left with a groin damage. … Pittsburgh CB James Pierre, who’s a cousin of Jackson’s, sustained a concussion. … Baltimore WR Andy Isabella injured his thigh and T Morgan Moses injured his biceps.
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