With their slim playoff hopes still alive, the Steelers have earned themselves a primetime game on Sunday against Baltimore. The NFL yesterday announced that this week’s game with the Ravens has been moved from a one o’clock kickoff to 8:20 PM.
At 7-8 after Saturday’s emotional last-minute win over the Raiders, the Steelers have a chance to both remain alive in the playoff chase and to take a step toward ensuring that coach Mike Tomlin will not have his first season with a losing record. But Baltimore has a lot at stake as well…the Ravens are 10-5 and just a game behind first-place Cincinnati in the AFC North. Both teams have already clinched playoff berths.
The Steelers lost to the Ravens 16-14 on December 11th.
Appearing at his postgame news conference in a Franco Harris jersey, coach Tomlin talked about the history it represented and the significance of the win.
The Steelers defense gave up a 72-yard opening drive that ended with a touchdown for the Raiders, but after that they gave up only 129 yards, and only 50 in the second half, when the Steelers intercepted three passes.
Tomlin says the defense sets the tone for the Steelers.
The coach called it a “grow-up game” for his young offense, and said the team as a whole withstood the pressure of a big-time game.
The Steelers are number 11 in the AFC standings, behind the number 6 Chargers, number 7 Dolphins, and the Patriots, Jets, and Titans, which are numbers 8, 9, and 10. With a conference record of 3-7, Pittsburgh has less than a one percent chance of making the playoffs, and a loss this Sunday to the Ravens or next Sunday to the Browns eliminates them from contention.
The Chargers visit the Colts in Indianapolis tonight for Monday Night Football, with Steelers fans hoping for an unlikely Colts upset.
Comments