Pittsburgh Steelers no longer have margin for error. Looking for a win against Cincinnati Bengals is necessary to reach the playoffs of the 2024 NFL season in good shape and even think about winning the AFC North. All eyes are on quarterback Russell Wilson, who has dropped his level in the last three games.
A streak of three consecutive losses has shaken the season of the Steelers, who want to avoid the Wild Card round in the postseason. The loss in the Christmas Day game to the Kansas City Chiefs forces Pittsburgh to win the division and show character.
Asking for a win in a time of low morale is a tough ask, especially in the final game of the regular season. That is why defensive tackle Cameron Heyward sent out a strong wake-up call for the Steelers to get back to the version of themselves that allowed them to lead the AFC West for much of the current campaign. Wilson’s teammate made several things clear.
Cam Heyward’s wake up call ahead of Bengals game
“For me, and I think for a lot of guys in here, hopefully the whole team, it’s about just playing good ball. We’ve got to get back on good footing, play with good technique. We control what we can control. I think going forward, ball just needs to be played the right way. It doesn’t matter what happens outside of our stadium. We understand we’re in the playoffs. So just focus on what we’ve got to focus on,” Heyward said in an interview with the Steelers’ official website.
Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Can the Steelers win the AFC North?
For the Steelers (10-6) to be crowned AFC North champions, they must defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Saturday night’s game at Acrisure Stadium in Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season. At the same time, they must hope that the Baltimore Ravens (11-5) lose their matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
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The Ravens could clinch the AFC North crown and home playoff game if they beat the Browns in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The Steelers will play knowing the result of the Baltimore game. If the Birds win, Pittsburgh would play away from home in the wild-card round, regardless of the outcome of Saturday night’s game.
Steelers’ losing streak compared to division rivals
Pittsburgh wants to shake off the stigma of being a losing team before playing in the playoffs. A streak of three straight losses contrasts with the good form of the Ravens and the Bengals, their division rivals. The Baltimore franchise comes into the last game of the regular season on a three-game winning streak. Cincinnati, on the other hand, arrives at the meeting with the Steelers on the back of a four-game winning run. However, their last loss was to Mike Tomlin’s team.
