What are the Steelers Playoff Chances?
The Steelers playoff chances are 38.5%, according to DraftKings Sportsbook in PA.
The victory against the Browns improved their chances from 32.7% last week. With teams like the Bengals, Chargers, Broncos and Patriots starting 0-2, the Steelers' chances are looking better. They can increase their chances again this week if they beat the Raiders in Las Vegas.
I'll be looking at the New York Times Postseason Simulator (which is not yet available) and the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) value during the season for further indications on where the Steelers stand.
Fifteen teams currently have worse odds than the Steelers. The Rams, Jets, Buccaneers, Vikings, Broncos, Patriots, Commanders, Titans, Giants, Raiders, Colts, Bears, Panthers, Cardinals and Texans all have worse odds.
Steelers Week-by-Week Playoff Chances
Entering Week 3 of the regular season, the Steelers have a 38.5% chance of making the playoffs. Their odds increased after they beat the Browns on Monday night, but they still have the worst odds of any team in the AFC North.
I'll be updating the Steelers' chances of making the playoffs each week throughout the 2023 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule and Betting Lines
The Steelers travel to Las Vegas for their first road game of the season. The Raiders are 1-1 after losing in Buffalo, 38-10 on Sunday. The Raiders offense has struggled almost as much as the Steelers has on offense. They are averaging just 13.5 points and 250 yards per game through the first two weeks.
The Steelers won last year’s meeting against the Raiders, 13-10, in Pittsburgh, but the Raiders have won the past four games in their own venue. The Steelers have not won a road game against the Raiders since 1995, but maybe a change of scenery will help. All four of the previous losses came when the Raiders called Oakland home.
The Steelers have a chance to get in better playoff position if they can beat the Raiders this week and the Texans next week. Neither team is playing well early in the season. After those two road games, the Steelers play host to the Ravens in the first week of October before their bye week.
Steelers Playoff Picture: Key Offseason Updates September 2023
The Steelers are 1-1 and tied with the Browns for second place in the AFC North. They are one game behind the first-place Ravens (2-0).
While the Steelers picked up a much-needed win that improved their chances to make the postseason, they also got some good news on the injury front on Tuesday. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick might play against the Raiders after he was taken to the hospital during the Browns game to have a chest injury evaluated.
That Fitzpatrick avoided serious injury was a good stroke of luck for the Steelers, who have already placed three players on injured reserve. Defensive lineman Cam Heyward is expected to miss up to eight weeks with a groin injury. Receiver Diontae Johnson (hamstring) and running back Anthony McFarland (knee) also landed on IR after suffering injuries in Week 1.
The earliest Johnson and McFarland can return is for the Oct. 22 game against the Rams in Los Angeles. They’ll miss the next three games against the Raiders, Texans and Ravens. The Steelers have their off week Oct. 15.
Johnson’s absence could be a big blow. He led the Steelers in receptions and targets last season. George Pickens stepped up and had a big game against the Browns with four catches for 127 yards and a touchdown, but the Steelers didn't get much production from any of their other receivers or tight ends.
Heyward’s absence is a big blow to the run defense and pass rush. Heyward only played 14 snaps in the opener against the 49ers, and they ran all over the Steelers to the tune of 188 yards. The Browns ran for 198 on Monday night.
- 📅 September 18: The Steelers placed receiver Diontae Johnson and running back Anthony McFarland on injured reserve and promoted running back Qadree Ollison to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 September 15: The Steelers signed defensive back Kalon Barnes to their practice squad.
- 📅 September 14: The Steelers placed defensive end Cam Heyward on injured reserve and signed receiver Dez Fitzpatrick to their 53-man roster. They also signed running back Greg Bell and cornerback Luq Barcoo to their practice squad and placed safety Josiah Scott on the practice squad injured list. They also released defensive back Anthony Brown from their practice squad.
- 📅 September 13: The Steelers signed center Ryan McCollum to their practice squad.
- 📅 September 12: The Steelers signed receiver Jacob Copeland to their practice squad and released running back Greg Bell and cornerback Luq Barcoo from the practice squad.
- 📅 September 2: The Steelers signed running back Qadree Ollison, fullback Zander Horvath and defensive back Tariq Carpenter to their practice squad.
- 📅 August 31: The Steelers signed cornerback Desmond King to their 53-man roster and four players to their practice squad: offensive linemen Kellen Diesch and Joey Fisher, defensive back Josiah Scott and receiver Simi Fehoko.
- 📅 August 30: The Steelers released punter Braden Mann and signed nine players to their practice squad: cornerback Luq Barcoo, running back Greg Bell, defensive linemen Breiden Fehoko and Jonathan Marshall, receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, linebacker David Perales, safety Trenton Thompson and tight end Rodney Williams.
- 📅 August 22: The Steelers signed WR Aron Cruickshank and LB Kuony Deng and waived/injured WRs Cody White and Hakeem Butler.
- 📅 August 17: The Steelers waived WR JaMarcus Bradley with an injury settlement.
- 📅 August 15: The Steelers signed running back Xazavian Valladay and released running back John Lovett.
- 📅 August 14: The Steelers signed cornerback Lavert Hill, waived cornerback Duke Dawson with an injury designation, and waived cornerback Isaiah Dunn.
- 📅 August 13: The Steelers signed linebacker Forrest Rhyne and waived linebacker Chapelle Russell with an injury designation.
- 📅 August 8: The Steelers signed safety Jalen Elliott and waived receiver JaMarcus Bradley with an injury designation.
- 📅 August 2: The Steelers placed cornerback Cory Trice on injured reserve, waived running back Alfonzo Graham with an injury designation, and signed defensive backs Trenton Thompson and Isaiah Dunn.
- 📅 August 1: The Steelers signed running backs John Lovett and Greg Bell and waived running back Jason Huntley.
- 📅 July 30: The Steelers signed linebacker Kwon Alexander to a one-year contract and released offensive lineman Jarrid Williams. They also placed running back Monte Pottebaum on the reserved/retired list.
- 📅 July 26: Second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. signed his rookie contract.
- 📅 July 19: The Steelers signed outside linebacker Alex Highsmith to a five-year, $70 million deal.
I will continue to update this page all offseason, so be sure to bookmark it and return to see all of the latest updates regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers playoff chances.
Key Contributors Toward Steelers Playoff Chances
The Steelers are right back in the hunt for a playoff spot after beating the Browns, but they have some major concerns with the play of second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett, who threw another interception on Monday night. He has thrown three interceptions in the first two games and has struggled with his accuracy. He completed only 50% of his pass attempts against the Browns.
Running back Najee Harris was expected to be a big part of the offense this season, but he's struggled to make an impact in the first two weeks. He had 43 yards on 10 attempts against the Browns and has rushed for just 74 yards in the first two games. Backup running back Jaylen Warren accounted for 86 scrimmage yards against the Browns while Harris had just 44.
Diontae Johnson, Pickett's top target last season, is out for at least the next three weeks after being placed on IR. Johnson's absence led to more targets for second-year receiver George Pickens in the Browns game. He had four catches for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Pat Freiermuth scored the only touchdown against the 49ers, but he was quiet against the Browns. He had just one catch for three yards.
T.J. Watt followed up his three-sack performance against the 49ers with another great game against the Browns. Watt had a sack and scooped up a fumble and returned it 17 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter. His sack gave him the franchise record for career sacks. He now has 81.5 career sacks, passing James Harrison on the franchise's all-time list.
Minkah Fitzpatrick had four tackles before leaving the Browns game with a chest injury.
Here are the current prop odds for some notable Steelers players from DraftKings:
Looking Ahead: Steelers Playoff Picture
The Steelers are 1-1 and in contention for the AFC North division championship and a wild-card berth in the AFC. They are tied with the Browns for second place in the division, but they currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Browns after beating them on Monday night. They are one game behind the Ravens in the race for the AFC North crown.
Only the Ravens and Dolphins are undefeated in the AFC. There are eight other teams in the AFC with 1-1 records. The good news for the Steelers is the Bengals, Broncos, Chargers and Patriots -- four teams that were expected to contend in the AFC -- are 0-2.
Where Can I Bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers to Make the Playoffs?
Sports betting is legal in PA, and you can place bets at BetMGM, Caesar's, Fanduel, DraftKings, and more. PA sports betting sites aren't very high on the Steelers winning a division title, a conference championship game or the Super Bowl, so you can get some pretty good odds on them right now.
I recommend checking out the most recent Pennsylvania sportsbook promo codes prior to placing your first Steelers bet.
Do the Steelers Have a Chance to Make the Playoffs?
Yes, the Steelers have a chance to make the playoffs. There are 15 more games during the regular season, and the Steelers are tied with eight other teams in the AFC at 1-1.
The Steelers are listed at +160 to make the playoffs. They currently have better odds than the Broncos, Texans, Colts, Raiders and Jets. Eight teams have better odds in the AFC.
Are the Steelers Out of Playoffs?
No, it's Week 3 of the regular season. All 32 NFL teams still have a shot at the playoffs.
The Steelers have a 38.5% chance of making the playoffs.
Where Do the Pittsburgh Steelers Rank in the AFC North?
The Steelers have the worst odds of any team to win the AFC North even though they beat the Browns on Monday night and are tied for second place in the division. The Ravens currently have the best odds (+100) followed by Browns (+330), the defending division champion Bengals (+475) and then the Steelers (+550).
The Ravens (-300) and Browns (-145) are favored to make the playoffs while the Steelers (+160) are not.
The Bengals are trying to win the AFC North for a third consecutive year, but they're off to an 0-2 start. Since the NFL realigned divisions in 2022, no AFC North has won the division title three years in a row.
Where Do the Pittsburgh Steelers Rank in the AFC Standings?
The Steelers have the 9th best odds (+2800) in the AFC ahead of the Jets, Titans, Broncos, Patriots, Raiders, Colts, and Texans. The Steelers are not favored to make the playoffs.
Where Do the Steelers Rank in the AFC Wild Card Race?
The Steelers currently have the ninth-best odds in the AFC to make the playoffs, They are not favored to earn one of the three wild-card spots in the AFC.
Can the Steelers Get the No. 1 Seed?
Yes, the Steelers can get the No. 1 seed. The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs currently have the best odds of winning the AFC (+330) followed by the Bills (+550) and Dolphins (+600).
The Steelers last earned the No. 1 seed in 2004.
Who to Root for if You're a Steelers Fan
Steelers fans should always root against AFC North foes Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Baltimore. Steelers fans should always root for NFC teams when they play AFC teams because that will increase their chances of qualifying as a wild card.
Steelers Postseason Outlook and Predictions
The Steelers are 1-1 and have a chance to beat a couple of AFC teams on the road in the next two weeks. They play in Las Vegas this week and Houston the following week. Neither is currently favored to make the playoffs. The Steelers need to beat the teams below them in the AFC because the schedule gets considerably more difficult later in the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Playoffs FAQs
38.5%. The Steelers are not considered strong contenders to make the playoffs according to the oddsmakers. They'll have to surge past some other strong contenders in the conference.
No, it's still early in the season. All 32 teams remain in contention for a playoff berth. The Steelers were in contention for a playoff berth until the final weekend of the regular season in 2022.
Yes, the Steelers have a 38.5% chance to make the playoffs. They'll have to overcome the odds to make an appearance in the postseason, but there are always surprises in the NFL.
You can bet on the Steelers at BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings and other sportsbooks. Betting is legal in Pennsylvania.
Author
Ray has worked in sports journalism for the past 26 years, covering Super Bowls, Stanley Cup Finals, Final Fours and BCS national championship games. He's been on the Steelers beat since 2012.
