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The Pittsburgh Steelers are one win away from clinching the AFC North title. This certainly was the goal as the team went to training camp this summer, and it seemed like a realistic possibility when Mike Tomlin’s team won 4 of the season’s first 5 games to take charge in the division.
However, that hot start gave way to a brutal midseason slump that saw the Steelers lose 5 of their next 7 games. Not only did the Steelers fall to 6-6 and see their lead in the division disappear — they were tied with the Ravens at 6-6 — their defense fell apart. That has long been one of Pittsburgh’s signature areas, but the Steelers lost their ability to put their defensive imprint on a game.
However, just when it looked like the Steelers would fall apart and lose their chances of becoming a playoff team this season, Aaron Rodgers has keyed a resurgence and the Steelers have won their last 3 games. A win over the struggling Cleveland Browns will give them the division.
Even if the Steelers suffer an upset in Cleveland, the Steelers will win the division if the Ravens lose their Saturday night game at Green Bay. If the Steelers lose and Baltimore wins, the Steelers can still win the division by beating the Ravens at Heinz Field in the final regular-season game of the season.
The Steelers have been able to get back on track with victories over the Ravens, Dolphins and Lions. Rodgers had been having an up-and-down season prior to the 3-game winning streak, but he recaptured some of his accuracy and leadership ability.
He completed 56 of 86 passes for 586 yards with a 7-3 touchdown to interception ratio during the winning streak. More than the numbers, Rodgers was playing with a confidence that he had not demonstrated since his tenure with the Green Bay Packers ended in the 2022 season.
The biggest challenge that Rodgers will face against the Browns is the presence of edge rusher Myles Garrett, the premier pass rusher in the league. Garrett has 22.0 sacks, 32.0 tackles for loss, 58 tackles and 1 pass defensed. He was held to 1/2 sack in Cleveland’s 23-20 loss to the Bills in Week 16, and it seems quite likely that he could come up with 2.0 sacks or more in this game.
The suspension of top receiver D.K. Metcalf could also be an issue for Rodgers and the Steelers offense. The CBS television cameras caught Metcalf throwing a punch at a fan in the road victory over the Lions last week and the league will not allow him to play the last 2 games of the season.
Without Metcalf, who has caught a team-leading 59 passes for 850 yards with 6 touchdowns, the Steelers will need running back Kenneth Gainwell and tight end Pat Freiermuth to come through.
Gainwell is one of the most...
