So what will it take for us to win the division?

[Psycho Ward 86]

I gave up hope after that Seahawks game but ive gotta say, with the injuries the bengals have right now, its looking like a possibility again, albeit, a very small one.

Anyone know what kind of scenario would have to unfold for this to happen?

[fansince'76]

Pretty sure we have to win out and they have to lose out.

[Edman]

Steelers win out, Bengals have to drop at least two.

It's sickening how the AFC South can be so bad and still have a shot.

[Mojouw]

Finish 11-5 and hope the Bengals go 10-6. Anything else and it doesn't happen.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Steelers win out, Bengals have to drop at least two.

It's sickening how the AFC South can be so bad and still have a shot.

wait i was under the impression it was a win out situation for us and lose out situation for the bengals as everyone else said. Which 2 games do the bengals have to drop if this scenario is true?

[ALLD]

Bengals are done. It's a free fall for them now. They should make a playoff appearance, but one and done again.

[Craic]

Finish 11-5 and hope the Bengals go 10-6. Anything else and it doesn't happen.

Yep.

What really raises an eyebrow for me is it just may happen. Imagine that.

[86WARD]

Finish 11-5 and hope the Bengals go 10-6. Anything else and it doesn't happen.

I'm down...

[polamalubeast]

The bengals have the ravens at home in week 17....So the steelers have no chance to win the division but i love the chance in Cincinnati in the playoffs....

[Craic]

The bengals have the ravens at home in week 17....So the steelers have no chance to win the division but i love the chance in Cincinnati in the playoffs....

Come on, PB, it's the Bungles in December. You KNOW there's a possibility they lose that game.

[polamalubeast]

Come on, PB, it's the Bungles in December. You KNOW there's a possibility they lose that game.

They beat Cleveland 37-3 last week on the road.....And the Ravens are bad like the Browns without Flacco.

[fansince'76]

Finish 11-5 and hope the Bengals go 10-6. Anything else and it doesn't happen.

Finish 11-5 and let the chips fall where they may, as far as I'm concerned.

[Craic]

Well,

Denver lost.

What does that mean for us? It's still mathematically viable that we will get homefield advantage until the AFCCG and a bye week. Not holding my breath, but it's still slightly possible. Could you imagine that? Ending up with the second best record in the AFC this year?

[Count Steeler]

They beat Cleveland 37-3 last week on the road.....And the Ravens are bad like the Browns without Flacco.

Let's see what McCarrons got against a real secondary. Bengals could go 0 for the rest of December.

[fansince'76]

That Scobee-induced loss to the Ravens is looming large right now...

[Craic]

That Scobee-induced loss to the Ravens is looming large right now...

And the Patriots.

Seriously, we could be sitting at 10-3 right now, which would put us tied for first in the AFCN and tied for 2nd in the AFC, with the Pats* one game above but us holding the tie-breaker with the win.

Talk about looming large!

[polamalubeast]

The Steelers have already won a Super Bowl without playing a home game in the playoffs ....

And the first playoff game could be a very winnable game.

[Count Steeler]

1 at a time boys, job will get done. As long as we don't falter, other teams will.

[steelreserve]

If we win out and Cincinnati loses its two AFC games (they can beat SF), then we win the division on tiebreakers.

If we lose any games, it is impossible for us to win the division no matter what the Bengals do.

If Cincinnati wins either of its AFC games (against Denver or Baltimore), then they win the division no matter what we do.

Obviously, if we win out and they lose out, we finish 11-5 and they finish 10-6 and we win the division outright.

Basically, Cincinnati's game against SF is meaningless, but the other 5 all have to go our way.

[Psycho Ward 86]

The Steelers have already won a Super Bowl without playing a home game in the playoffs ....

And the first playoff game could be a very winnable game.

any game is winnable with this team. i dont think that 1st playoff game (assuming we make it) will be easy though. in all likelihood, we make it as the 6th seed even if we win out. and looking at the schedule, its going to be either the broncos or bengals as the 3rd seed that we play. bengals seem likely to lose against the broncos who are at home (and primetime i believe) and should be fine against the ravens and 49ers. The broncos will probably finish 12-4 or 13-3 depending on how next week goes. 12-4 leaves them with a weaker conference record than the bengals so that will probably make the broncos our 1st playoff game if we make it. i dont like the idea of our receivers running verticals all game in the thin denver air.

somehow ending up the 5th seed against the texans or colts would be a great treat

[steelerdude15]

any game is winnable with this team. i dont think that 1st playoff game (assuming we make it) will be easy though. in all likelihood, we make it as the 6th seed even if we win out. and looking at the schedule, its going to be either the broncos or bengals as the 3rd seed that we play. bengals seem likely to lose against the broncos who are at home (and primetime i believe) and should be fine against the ravens and 49ers. The broncos will probably finish 12-4 or 13-3 depending on how next week goes. 12-4 leaves them with a weaker conference record than the bengals so that will probably make the broncos our 1st playoff game if we make it. i dont like the idea of our receivers running verticals all game in the thin denver air.

somehow ending up the 5th seed against the texans or colts would be a great treat

With Andy Dalton getting injured today and since he could possibly be out the rest of the year; I would have to imagine that Bengals would get the third seed in the playoffs.

[Psycho Ward 86]

With Andy Dalton getting injured today and since he could possibly be out the rest of the year; I would have to imagine that Bengals would get the third seed in the playoffs.

that would mean counting on the bengals to lose to the 49ers and/or ravens though. definitely not out of the realm of possibiltiy because: bengals in december (nuff said), but idk

[steelerdude15]

The bengals have the ravens at home in week 17....So the steelers have no chance to win the division but i love the chance in Cincinnati in the playoffs....

Yeah, but even though the Ravens are having a horrible season, we all know the Ravens are going to want to go out with a win and Harbaugh is going to want to spoil the Bengals' season in some shape or form.

- - - Updated - - -


that would mean counting on the bengals to lose to the 49ers and/or ravens though. definitely not out of the realm of possibiltiy because: bengals in december (nuff said), but idk

Well, the Bengals do have to travel to Santa Clara next week and you know the Ravens are going to want to win that game. I doubt they'll lose those two games, but anything can happen.

[Steelermania]

WE win out, Bungles lose to Denver, and Baltimore. This would leave us even in both division and conference records. The tie would be broken on SOV. Our win over the Cardinals will loom large here. At 11-5 we'd each have a head to head win. There would be 7 wins against the same teams. That would leave 3 victories on each side as the tie breaker. We would have wins over Arizona, Indy, and Denver, while they would have wins over KC, Seattle, and Buffalo. As we stand now, they would get 22 wins from those teams, while we would get 27 from our three victims. If KC, Seattle, and Buffalo won out, that would be 31 wins for Cincy. We would pick up a win from Denver when they beat Cincy, leaving us 4 wins short of winning the tiebreaker. We would have 7 chances to get those 4 wins. One from Denver, and 3 each from Indy, and Arizona. KC, and Seattle may well win out. Buffalo will probably lose one game. Indy worries me, as they are looking like garbage. Need Arizona to keep on rolling. Could come down to Seattle at Arizona in week 17.

[fansince'76]

WE win out, Bungles lose to Denver, and Baltimore. This would leave us even in both division and conference records. The tie would be broken on SOV. Our win over the Cardinals will loom large here. At 11-5 we'd each have a head to head win. There would be 7 wins against the same teams. That would leave 3 victories on each side as the tie breaker. We would have wins over Arizona, Indy, and Denver, while they would have wins over KC, Seattle, and Buffalo. As we stand now, they would get 22 wins from those teams, while we would get 27 from our three victims. If KC, Seattle, and Buffalo won out, that would be 31 wins for Cincy. We would pick up a win from Denver when they beat Cincy, leaving us 4 wins short of winning the tiebreaker. We would have 7 chances to get those 4 wins. One from Denver, and 3 each from Indy, and Arizona. KC, and Seattle may well win out. Buffalo will probably lose one game. Indy worries me, as they are looking like garbage. Need Arizona to keep on rolling. Could come down to Seattle at Arizona in week 17.

Kudos on researching that. Stuff gives me a headache. :dizzy:

[86WARD]

Hottest team in the AFC out there right now...despite the mess that are the DBs.

[Rotorhead]

If the Bungles lose both their AFC games and we win out we win the division. I can see them losing to the Broncos (even though the Bronco's offense scares nobody right now). Hard to sell a loss to the Ravens even if they have their 2nd string QB in the game, but I guess it could happen. All that matters now is we have to beat Denver. I think we can, especially if their offense plays like they did today (Mack got 5 sacks himself today). Their Def is good, best I have seen in awhile, but we just have too many weapons.

[Psycho Ward 86]

If the Bungles lose both their AFC games and we win out we win the division. I can see them losing to the Broncos (even though the Bronco's offense scares nobody right now). Hard to sell a loss to the Ravens even if they have their 2nd string QB in the game, but I guess it could happen. All that matters now is we have to beat Denver. I think we can, especially if their offense plays like they did today (Mack got 5 sacks himself today). Their Def is good, best I have seen in awhile, but we just have too many weapons.

hell, the ravens might be stuck with their 3rd string QB jimmy clausen. (Schaub was out today with a chest injury)

[TD's & Beer]

Bengals and AJ McCarron lose the next 3 and we win out would be best


Surely AJ has better things to do besides worry about football

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/16/1410902100421_wps_9_Katherine_Webb_and_AJ.jpg

[StillCurtains]

First is Denver. We really need to take care of them soundly. It's highly probable that this will be the last game in Heinz this year. The only possible loss that I see Cincy having is @ Denver. That will be a tossup. Let's hope we can beat Denver to get them fired up for Cincy.

Cincy has too much for San Fran. McCarron is more than good enough to beat them on the road with their weapons. I also see Cincy's defense overwhelming that porous 49er offense.

Week 17 is just a shame. Historically the Ravens usually struggle vs Cincy, but the Ravens usually give you more than a puncher's chance at beating them. That's not the case this year. I'm not going to say the Ravens are a bad team. They're just totally unrecognizeable with a nightmarish injury plagued season. It's hard to beat anyone in those circumstances.

The Bengals will be in desperate need for a win in this game for seeding purposes. This one will be a blowout, with or without Dalton.

[86WARD]

Win.

[katmandu]

What scenerio(s) would get us at least a Wildcard spot ?

[polamalubeast]

What scenerio(s) would get us at least a Wildcard spot ?

3 wins and they are in.