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Steelers 2023 NFL playoff push: Here’s how Pittsburgh can salvage a currently lost season

T.J. Watt was pretty clear when asked to outline his goals for the 2023 season. Just before Pittsburgh headed to training camp, Watt detailed what he wanted to accomplish more than anything during his seventh season. 

“I’ve played in three playoff games and haven’t won a single one, so that’s a big issue,” Watt told CBS Sports at the time. “That’s probably goal No. 1 is just to get into the playoffs and win a playoff game and just go from there.

“I’m not about the individual goals anymore. I’ve set myself up nice where I’ve been having a good career but it doesn’t matter if you’re not winning games when they matter most. I think that’s objective No. 1, for sure.”

For a while, it appeared that Watt would get a chance at getting that coveted first playoff win. But after a 7-4 start, the Steelers have lost three straight games entering Saturday’s home game against the Bengals. While they are still technically in the playoff hunt, the Steelers haven’t looked anything like a team with postseason aspirations in recent weeks. It’s legitimate to wonder whether or not the 2023 Steelers will win another game. 

Pittsburgh’s current playoff odds paint a similarly bleak picture. Those odds are currently at 4.9%, according to CBS Sports Research. Pittsburgh’s expected win total is just over 8, which is lower than Caesars Sportsbook’s preseason over/under projection of 8.5 wins. 

The Steelers are currently 10th in the AFC standings. They’ll have to pass Indianapolis (8-6), Houston (8-6) and Buffalo (8-6) over the season’s last three weeks in order to secure a playoff spot. Saturday’s opponent, Cincinnati, is currently holding on to the AFC’s sixth spot. 

So, can the Steelers actually make the playoffs? Let’s find out by breaking down the remaining schedules of the teams currently ahead of them as well as looking at Pittsburgh’s remaining schedule. We’ll also detail the three things the Steelers…


Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-2023-nfl-playoff-push-heres-how-pittsburgh-can-salvage-a-currently-lost-season/

Author : Bryan DeArdo

Publish date : 2023-12-19 18:25:26

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