3 games to watch in Week 18 which impact the Steelers’ playoff chances

There actually are several NFL games this week which will determine if the Steelers make the postseason.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the final week of the 2021 regular season with their path to the postseason being very narrow, but fairly simple. First of all, they have to win their game in Baltimore. Other than that, there aren’t many games which have any effect on the Steelers this season. First off, lets check out how the three games from last week ended up. Two of the games ended up close, but NONE of them went the way the Steelers needed them to go.

Kansas City Chiefs (31) at Cincinnati Bengals (34)

It looked as if the Chiefs were going to run away with his game, but then suddenly they forgot that Ja’Marr Chase wore an orange and black uniform. The Bengals rookie embarrassed the Chiefs and, with the help of some questionable calls, the Bengals were able to take the lead, only give up a field goal for the tie, and get the game-winner after some questionable decisions that just happened to fall their way. This was step one in limiting the Steelers postseason possibilities as the Bengals grabbed the AFC North title.

Las Vegas Raiders (23) at Indianapolis Colts (20)

Boy, did the Colts really blow this one for the Steelers. Had the Raiders fallen in defeat, they could have eliminated the Chargers with a win on Sunday rather than the two teams playing for what will likely be one spot in the postseason. Instead, now the Steelers need the Colts to blow another one to a much inferior opponent.

Denver Broncos (13) at Los Angeles Chargers (34)

By the time the afternoon rolled around, the thing that would have helped the Steelers the most was the Chargers losing and then defeating the Raiders the following week. Unfortunately, the Broncos did not put up much of a fight in this game was over pretty early.

For Week 18, here are the only three games which mean anything to the Steelers in regards to the postseason or next season’s schedule.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday at 1:00 PM on CBS

This is really the only other game that matters to the Steelers. The Jaguars need to upset the Colts for there to be a spot open for the Steelers to slide in. Yes, the Jaguars are 15-point underdogs, but they have also won six-straight home games against the Colts. Having a lot of hope this falls the right way could be dangerous, but it is still possible.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday at 8:20 PM on NBC

If everything falls right for the Pittsburgh Steelers early in the day, the only thing that would keep them out of the postseason Sunday night would be a tie between the Chargers and Raiders. Unless they intentionally play it out that way, I think both of these teams would prefer to knock the other one out of the postseason. And even if things don’t go the Steelers way in the afternoon, it will be intriguing to watch a game where the winner gets in and the loser goes home.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday at 1:00 PM on CBS

And with that, I broke my own rules. Yes, I included the Steelers game as one of the ones to watch. Why? Because they were absolutely no other NFL games in Week 18 that meant anything to the Steelers. Nothing affected the playoffs. Nothing affected their final seeding with their opponents for next year. The only other remote possibility would have been draft order, but is that really more important than the Steelers winning the game and having a shot at the playoffs? I don’t think so. This is the game that matters to the Steelers most because if they don’t get the job done and get the victory, all the other factors mean nothing.

So there are the only three games which matter at all to the Steelers the last week of the 2021 season. No other games will have any affect on the Steelers in regards to postseason or 2022 scheduling.

Which of these games will be the most important as it pertains to the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers playoff chances? Make sure you vote in the poll and give your thoughts in the comments below.