A win over Baltimore on Saturday and Jacksonville’s loss to Tennessee yesterday pushed the Steelers into the AFC playoffs, and while it was unlikely and the road ahead will be rough without TJ Watt at outside linebacker, they’re happy to take it.
The Titans beat the Jaguars, 28-20 yesterday, aided by an interception and a key coverage play late in the game by former Steeler Terrell Edmunds, and by a goal line stand that stopped Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence inside the one-yard line.
The Steelers will play the Buffalo Bills, kicking off at one o’clock on Sunday afternoon in Buffalo, where the early weather forecast is for cloudy skies, snow flurries, and a high of 27 degrees.
Meanwhile, the Steelers’ TJ Watt reportedly has a Grade Two sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, the result of an inadvertent hit by teammate Montravious Adams in the fourth quarter on Saturday.
Coach Mike Tomlin said after the game that Watt’s injury is a part of football.
Tomlin says quarterback Mason Rudolph, a forgotten man four weeks ago, has a presence to his game that serves him well.
The coach says his depth at outside linebacker, especially veteran Markus Golden, enabled the Steelers to keep the defensive pressure on Baltimore even after Watt left the game.
Defensive captain Cam Heyward says the Steelers can be dangerous in the playoffs.
Heyward says the Steelers will depend on their depth to replace Watt.
Against the Ravens, Mason Rudolph was outstanding again. He was 18-of-20 passing for 152 yards and one touchdown, the 71-yard catch-and-run on an inside slant by Diontae Johnson on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Rudolph says he’s having fun playing football again.
Rudolph credits the Steelers’ offensive line and coaching staff for revitalizing the running game, which opens up the passing game.
The Bills beat the Dolphins last night, 21-14 to win the AFC East and take the second seed in the AFC playoffs. The Steelers are 2-1 all-time against Buffalo in the playoffs, with all three games taking place in Pittsburgh. The last one was a Bills victory in 1992.
Since beating the Chiefs in the 2016 playoffs, the Steelers have lost their last four postseason games.
NFL
Here are the playoff matchups for this weekend:
On Saturday, the AFC Wild Card round starts with the Browns hosting the Texans at 4:30, followed by the Dolphins at the Chiefs at 8:00.
On Sunday, the Steelers and Bills play at 1:00, followed by two NFC games…the Packers at the Cowboys at 4:30, and the Rams at the Lions at 8:00. The first round wraps up with the Eagles visiting the Buccaneers in Tampa on Monday night at 8:00.
The Ravens and 49ers each earned first-round byes after securing the top seeds in the AFC and NFC.
Today is Black Monday in the NFL, when coaches are typically fired after disappointing seasons. The Atlanta Falcons got a jump start on things when they fired coach Arthur Smith after a third straight 7-and-10 season.
