Week 17 [1/3] Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) @ Miami Dolphins (7-8)

• killer_ewok

  

  It's a 1:00 p.m. kickoff from Land Shark Stadium. The game is on CBS. Depending on the rest of today's results.....this could be for a playoff berth. The Steelers are coming off a 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens and the Dolphins dropped a game to the Houston Texans by a score of 27-20 earlier today.
  
  Who ya' got?
• september63

  

  Just found out on cbssportsline...........Pitts neads the win AND a Houston loss to get in. Pitt loses tiebreakers to both Hou and Baltimore. Pitt does own the tiebreaker over Denver. Assuming that Denver and NYJ lose today. NE does own the #3 seed tiebreaker over Cinci, so expect NE to play their starters to win.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Pittsburgh......but in a white knuckler.
• killer_ewok

  

  Philly leads Denver 17-7 midway through the 2nd quarter. Indy is up 9-0 on the Jets late in the 1st half.
• september63

  

  My Browns brethren might disown me, Im rooting for the Steelers.
• Walt

  

  The sad thing is.... look back at the Chicago loss, the loss at Cincy, the loss to KC, the loss to Baltimore, and the loss to Oakland. Any one and every one of those games could have gone either way. Each was decided by less than a TD. In each game the Steelers led in the 4th quarter. In each of those they either blew an opportunity to score to put the game our of reach, or dropped an INT that would have sealed the game. If they win any one of those games they're in with a win next week regardless what happens in the other games.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Walt wrote: The sad thing is.... look back at the Chicago loss, the loss at Cincy, the loss to KC, the loss to Baltimore, and the loss to Oakland. Any one and every one of those games could have gone either way. Each was decided by less than a TD. In each game the Steelers led in the 4th quarter. In each of those they either blew an opportunity to score to put the game our of reach, or dropped an INT that would have sealed the game. If they win any one of those games they're in with a win next week regardless what happens in the other games.

  I agree with that, but to be honest....there is no reason that Oakland, KC or Cleveland should have been within 2 scores of them to begin with.....now they will probably make the playoffs, but when you lose to teams like that.....you really don't deserve to in my opinion.
• THE4RINGZ

  

  The Steelers lost some dumb ass games this year. With that being said, no Ronnie Brown makes the fins a little too one dimensional to beat the Black and Gold. I am rooting for whomever Houston plays. (Never thought I would ever say that)
• september63

  

  NE @ Houston. NE has every reason to play their starters.
• killer_ewok

  

  I think Ricky Williams got hurt today too.
• september63

  

  killer_ewok wrote: I think Ricky Williams got hurt today too.

  left the game in the 3rd qtr with a shoulder injury. Played one down after this. Henne threw the ball 55 times. Pitts secondary and/or pass rush probably the difference.
• RiverRat13

  september63 wrote: NE has every reason to play their starters.

  Why is that? They can't get a bye.
• killer_ewok

  

  RiverRat13 wrote:

  september63 wrote: NE has every reason to play their starters.

  Why is that? They can't get a bye.

  They lose and the Bengals win.....NE is the #4 seed and Cincy the #3 seed. If you're thinking ahead and considering all scenarios.....would the Pats rather host the Bengals in the AFC title game or have to go to Cincy to play them? Of course you always want to play at home if possible.
• september63

  

  Also if you are the #3 seed, you are home against the #6. If you are the #4 seed, you are still at home but against the #5 seed
• killer_ewok

  

  Also, if you're the #3 and you win.....you get to avoid Indy until the AFC title (assuming they get there). But then again, playing the Chargers in the next round isn't exactly tempting either.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Yeah, pick your poison with the Chargers and Indy. Right now, San Diego looks like the team to beat with the way they are playing.
• RiverRat13

  I doubt Bill Belichek risks his guys getting hurt due to the extreme long shot of having to play in Cincinnati for the AFC Championship.
  
  You guys might be right, but I would wager that the Pats sit their starters in the 2nd half next week.
• Non

  

  Steelers hopes are fading as the Colts take Manning out of the game against the Jets
• Non

  

  Might need the Bengals and Patriots to win next week
• september63

  

  Yes, you might. Both will be on the road too. For that matter, here comes Denver!!
• wes_mantooth

  

  Denver with 2 tds in a flash...whoa, this is getting interesting.
• Azubuike24

  

  Denver controls their own destiny.
  
  After them, it's the Jets, Ravens, Texans and Steelers.
  
  Assuming that the tiebreaker would involve 3 or more teams, the Steelers would come down to common opponents with Houston (Cincinnati, Tennessee, Oakland and Miami) and in those games, Houston went 4-1, Pittsburgh went 2-3).
  
  It's a definite long shot for the Steelers now that the Jets are about to win against Indy and will be playing at home against a Cincy team without anything to play for.
• Non

  

  Good thing the Eagles held on.
  
  Steelers still need a lot of help, basically the Bengals beating the Jets and Patriots beating the Texans.
  
  I don't think it's a big deal whether you have the No. 3 or No. 4 seed but let's hope those teams care about it.
• Non

  

  I think the Colts laying down looked terrible.
  
  I'd be surprised if the Patriots take that approach.
  
  Not sure about the Bengals.
• GoChiefs

  

  For the Steelers to get in..Pitt needs to beat Miami..then the Broncos, Ravens, Jets, and Texans all need to lose..is that correct?