The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face the Cleveland Browns in a crucial Week 17 matchup. However, head coach Mike Tomlin has hinted that Pittsburgh could approach the game without Aaron Rodgers and several other key starters.
On Saturday night, the Baltimore Ravens take on the Green Bay Packers. If Baltimore loses, the Steelers would clinch the AFC North title before even stepping onto the field Sunday. In that scenario, Tomlin could opt to rest his starters against Cleveland, eliminating the need to risk injuries ahead of the postseason.
“You know, it may,” Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday on whether the Ravens-Packers outcome could impact his decisions for Sunday’s game against the Browns. “I hadn’t thought about it at all, to be quite honest with you, I just found out this morning that that [Ravens-Packers] game is Saturday night. I just learned to be tunnel vision over the years.
“But as I sit here and make plans today for tomorrow in the effort to lay a foundation, to engineer victory, that’s something that’s of very little relevance to me today. I have plenty of time to ponder those things after we get a little bit more solid about preparing ourselves to play the Cleveland Browns.”
When was the last time the Steelers won the AFC North?
The Steelers could secure the AFC North title even before their Week 17 kickoff. If the Packers defeat the Ravens on Saturday, Pittsburgh would clinch the division for the first time since 2020.
Historically, the Steelers have been the most dominant team in the AFC North. If they capture the division crown this season, it would mark the 25th AFC North title in franchise history. The Cincinnati Bengals rank second with 11 division titles, well behind Pittsburgh.
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For Aaron Rodgers, who is in his first season with the Steelers, winning the AFC North would send a strong message that the veteran quarterback is serious about making a deep playoff run. The ultimate goal remains a Super Bowl appearance at Levi’s Stadium on February 8.
What happens if the Ravens defeat the Packers?
If Baltimore beats Green Bay on Saturday, the Steelers’ path becomes more complicated. Pittsburgh would then control its own destiny but would be forced to play its starters in Week 17 to avoid any setbacks.
In that scenario, the Steelers would need a win over the Browns on Sunday to clinch the AFC North. A loss to Cleveland would push the division decision to Week 18, when Pittsburgh hosts the Ravens in the final regular-season game—a winner-take-all showdown for the division crown.
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