Steelers secure playoff spot in 2024

The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers are officially headed to the playoffs. With weeks to go, the team was able to claim victory after Week 15. After the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts lost on Sunday afternoon, as did the Steelers, they moved back into a postseason berth. It was one of two scenarios Pittsburgh needed to officially end the week in the playoffs.

A victory for Pittsburgh over the Philadelphia Eagles would have punched their ticket to the postseason. Instead, the Eagles handled the Steelers with relative ease, controlling the clock and the game with a 27-13 victory. Pittsburgh remains winless in Philadelphia since 1965. But the Dolphins lost to the Houston Texans 20-12 earlier in the afternoon, while the Colts lost their contest to the Denver Broncos.

It is the second straight season the Steelers have made the playoffs after being seeded 7th a year ago. Of course, making the postseason was the easy part. Winning a game has proven to be far more difficult. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016 and has lost its last five attempts. That’s the second-longest active postseason drought in the league, behind only the Miami Dolphins.

But Pittsburgh is in a better position to overcome the crisis than in previous years. The Steelers’ offense has improved under veteran QB Russell Wilson while a young offensive line has come together. Defensively, the Steelers began the week with a top-five scoring unit featuring impact players like EDGE TJ Watt and DT Cam Heyward, who had depth and roundness throughout the unit. The special teams were also strong, with K Chris Boswell having a historically good year.

A tough loss to the Eagles will inspire no more confidence or joy than if they had emerged victorious on Sunday afternoon. But there is a positive conclusion from this day.

Pittsburgh has not yet won the AFC North, but can do so with a win over the Baltimore Ravens next Saturday. If the Steelers do not secure the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, they will play Wild Card weekend on either Saturday, January 11th or Sunday, January 12th.