PITTSBURGH (AP)— Despite being written out in mid-December, the Pittsburgh Steelers are making their way back to the playoffs.
Pittsburgh secured a wild-card slot Sunday when Tennessee defeated Jacksonville, giving the Steelers (10-7) a postseason berth that appeared doubtful after a three-game slide that included losses to Arizona and New England.
After being blown out by Indianapolis on December 16, coach Mike Tomlin turned to third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph, who helped Pittsburgh win three straight games against Cincinnati, Seattle, and AFC North champion Baltimore on Saturday.
The Steelers will be either the sixth or seventh seed in the AFC, depending on the outcome of Buffalo’s Sunday night game against Miami. A Dolphins victory would send Pittsburgh to Kansas City next weekend, and Bills victory would bring the Steelers to Buffalo. If Miami-Buffalo is a tie, the Dolphins will host the Steelers.
Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since defeating Kansas City in the divisional round of the 2016 season. The Steelers have lost their last four playoff games decisively: New England in the 2016 AFC Championship, Jacksonville in the division round in 2017, Cleveland in the first round in 2020, and Kansas City in the first round in 2021.
Pittsburgh will have to go ahead without its great outside linebacker, T.J. Watt. The perennial All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year candidate left the triumph over Baltimore with a knee injury that is anticipated to keep him out indefinitely.
J.J. Watt, T.J.’s retired brother, posted on social media that the Steelers’ premier pass-rusher had a Grade 2 MCL injury and will require a “few weeks of rest/recovery.”
The Steelers have had a wild season, starting 6-3 despite being outgained in every game. They then lost four of five games, including a loss to Cleveland on November 19, which resulted in the resignation of offensive coordinator Matt Canada two days later.
The offense briefly improved after a win against Cincinnati, but starting quarterback Kenny Pickett injured his right ankle in the second quarter against Arizona on December 3. Mitch Trubisky took over and was fairly unproductive as the Steelers lost to the Cardinals, Patriots, and Colts, falling out of the postseason picture.
Tomlin went to Rudolph, one of the team’s longest-tenured players who had spent the previo/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72820298/1592507000.0.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
us two years buried on the bench, in search of a spark. He contributed one, which moved the Steelers back into the playoffs.
Rudolph has thrown for 719 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, with Pickett — who has fully recovered from ankle surgery — serving as backup in Baltimore on Saturday.
While Tomlin said last week that he would wait to pick who would get the ball if Pittsburgh’s season went past Week 18, Rudolph is very expected to get a shot to continue his remarkable comeback against the Bills or Dolphins.
