Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers might regret losing to the Bengals on Thursday Night Football in the coming weeks. Considering that Cincinnati played with a newly acquired quarterback and came in with one of the worst defenses in the NFL, the blow to the playoff race could be huge for the black and gold team.
Had they defeated the Bengals, the Steelers would have extended their lead in the AFC North to three and a half games over Cincinnati, in addition to controlling the tiebreaker. That, combined with Baltimore’s 1-5 record, would have been a huge step toward the postseason.
Now, the situation is completely different. Flacco has brought the Bengals closer in the standings (3-4 record), Lamar Jackson will be back with the Ravens, and in a wide-open AFC, the schedule could leave Pittsburgh out (4-2), derailing their Super Bowl hopes.
What’s the next game for the Steelers?
The Steelers’ next game will be against the Green Packers at home in Week 8. The matchup will be in primetime on Sunday Night Football, marking Aaron Rodgers’ first matchup with his former team.
After that, the schedule is an uphill battle: Colts, Chargers, Bengals, Bears, Bills, Ravens, Dolphins, Lions, Browns, and a rematch with Baltimore to close out the season.
That list of opponents could hand the Steelers at least five losses, seriously hurting their playoff hopes. Depending on how things play out, they might end up missing the win they could have secured a few days ago in Cincinnati.
