Steelers Divisional Playoff Scenarios Come into Focus

Two possibilities for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ second-round playoff opponent were eliminated with the Buffalo Bills’ last-minute win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card playoff on Sunday, leaving two remaining.

The Steelers entered the week with four possible Divisional Round scenarios, that would come into play with a win over the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football.

The second round could have seen the Steelers visiting the Jaguars, Denver Broncos or New England Patriots, or hosting the Bills. Now, just two remain, pending the results of Sunday Night Football between the Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers.

Patriots win — Steelers at Patriots

The Patriots, the No. 2 seed in the AFC, are 3.5-point favorites at home against the Chargers. If Drake Maye and company win at home, and the Steelers beat the Texans, then the Steelers would head to Foxborough, Mass. for the second time this season. The Steelers beat the Patriots in Week 3, 21-14.

Even if the Steelers go on the road next week, they could still return to Pittsburgh for a home AFC Championship Game. In this scenario, they’d need to beat the Patriots and have the Bills defeat the top-seeded Broncos in Denver.

Chargers win — Bills at Steelers

The only way the Steelers can get a home game in the second round also involves them playing the team that nobody wants to face in the AFC playoffs — Josh Allen and the Bills, who beat the Steelers 26-7 in Week 13. The Steelers would need Justin Herbert and a banged-up Chargers team to go into Gillette Stadium and earn a win on Sunday Night Football to have a second home playoff game on the line on Monday night.

This scenario also preserves the possibility of a home game in the AFC Championship, as the Steelers would host the Chargers, should they go on the road to beat the Broncos after beating the Patriots this week.