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If you ask any AFC playoff hopeful, or each of those teams' fan bases in an honest moment, they'd admit to rooting hard for the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets to get the wild-card spots.
Because that would mean the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't make the playoffs.
The Steelers are an interesting case. We saw on Sunday night how good they can be. They destroyed the Indianapolis Colts, behind an offense that seems unstoppable at times. That came a week after throwing for nearly 500 yards at Seattle. The Steelers might not be quite good enough to win four games in a row and take a Super Bowl, but in a one-game situation they'd be frightening for any opposing coach to prepare for. They could beat any team in the NFL on the right day. And, them winning four in a row in the playoffs can't be totally ruled out either. Their offensive weapons are that good.
PODCAST: Why don't people respect the Carolina Panthers?:
But if the playoffs started today, the Steelers wouldn't even be in. They'd be the seventh seed in a six-team field. And the remaining schedule is not easy.*
The Steelers go to Cincinnati this week to play the 10-2 Bengals. Then they come back home and play the 10-2 Broncos. That's the toughest remaining two-game stretch of any playoff contender.
The good news for the Steelers if if they, the Chiefs and Jets win out, the Steelers would get in, because they'd match the Jets' conference record and have the tiebreaker edge in record against common opponents. But with
those two games left against two of the NFL's best teams, winning out obviously can't be assumed. The Steelers will still be fine in the common opponent tiebreaker against the Jets if they beat the Browns and the Jets lose to the Patriots. But the Steelers are going to need to win some games. A 9-7 record might not cut it. We're likely looking at a situation in which the Steelers need to beat at least one 10-2 team, maybe both of them, to get in the playoffs.
Everyone knows, if the Steelers can just get in they're going to be a very, very tough out because of their offense. That makes their playoff push one of the more interesting stories to watch over the last four weeks. The rest of the AFC will be paying a lot of attention, for sure.
Here are Shutdown Corner's power rankings after Week 13:
32. Cleveland Browns (2-10, Last week: 32)
Sorry, just don't get why the Browns wasted a week when they could have been evaluating Johnny Manziel to make whatever point they were trying to make. But hey, at least Austin Davis' start went well.*
31. Baltimore Ravens (4-8, LW: 29)
Javorius "Buck" Allen had a big game, and he looked pretty good. Still, having a running back catching 12 passes for 107 yards probably says a lot about the current state of affairs of the banged-up Ravens offense.
30. San Francisco 49ers (4-8, LW: 30)
If you were the 49ers, would you go with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback to start next season? Remember, Colin Kaepernick costs a ton of money, and it's really hard to find a competent starting quarterback on the open market unless the draft drops one in your lap.
29. Tennessee Titans (3-9, LW: 31)
Good to see Dorial Green-Beckham break out with five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Next offseason will be very important for him. How bad does he want to be an elite receiver? If he wants it, he has all the physical skills to be one of the NFL's best.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8, LW: 28)
Allen Robinson is a legit No. 1. He has 1,080 yards and 11 touchdowns with four games to go. He's the first 1,000-yard receiver for the Jaguars since Jimmy Smith in 2005. The fact that it's been 10 years is really odd, actually.
27. St. Louis Rams (4-8, LW: 23)
Nick Foles has the third-best passer rating in a single season in NFL history. I can't explain it either.
26. San Diego Chargers (3-9, LW: 27)
I get why the Chargers won't accept Melvin Gordon's fumbling. He was benched for losing his fourth fumble of the season on Sunday. But they're also a 3-9 team and having a quick hook like that can't help the confidence of their first-round pick.
25. Miami Dolphins (5-7, LW: 22)
Ryan Tannehill was 9 of 19 for 86 yards. In a full NFL game.
24. Detroit Lions (4-8, LW: 21)
I think if Jim Caldwell had any shot of keeping his job, he lost it when he played to stop a lateral play rather than a Hail Mary on the final play against Green Bay. He just can't live that down, on top of everything else that has happened.
23. New Orleans Saints (4-8, LW: 25)
The Saints defense has allowed a 116.6 passer rating this season. To put that in perspective, only four quarterbacks in NFL history have posted a rating better than 116.6 in a season (and yes, one of them was Foles ... I still can't explain it).
22. Dallas Cowboys (4-8, LW: 26)
Here's why the strategy to not put Tony Romo on injured reserve was smart, and not because that awful win Monday night leaves them one game out in the NFC East. If there's even a 1 percent chance that the Cowboys make the playoffs and Romo is healthy by then, that provides infinitely more value than whoever would get Dallas' 53rd spot on the roster. It's amazing when you see teams screw this up. Having an extra player who will be inactive each week until season's end is not more valuable than the chance of having your starting quarterback return for the playoffs, however small that chance is.
21. Atlanta Falcons (6-6, LW: 20)
Here's a problem: Julio Jones hasn't scored a touchdown in four straight games. ESPN.com said he was frustrated with the red-zone play calling. Well, yeah.
20. Oakland Raiders (5-7, LW: 18)
Derek Carr's three fourth-quarter interceptions were tough to swallow. After a fun start, the Raiders have lost four of five. But you'd assume they'll be better next season. Making the playoffs this year really wasn't a realistic part of the plan anyway.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7, LW: 24)
With Tom Brady as a starting quarterback, the Patriots are 96-16 at home. That's astonishing. Just remember that one of those 16 losses over the past 15 years was authored by Chip Kelly.
18. New York Giants (5-7, LW: 17)
I'm fine with Tom Coughlin going for it on fourth and 2 at the Jets' 4-yard line, with the Giants up 10. Don't judge decisions based on results. That's not a bad call. It just didn't work out.
17. Washington Redskins (5-7, LW: 16)
Tough to lose that one, at home, against a team that had been 0-7 with backup quarterbacks. They might really regret that Monday night loss.
16. Chicago Bears (5-7, LW: 15)
Strange stat: Since the beginning of November, the Bears are 3-0 on the road and 0-3 at home.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6, LW: 19)
Rookie linebacker Kwon Alexander, a candidate for defensive rookie of the year, will not appeal his four-game PED suspension according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. It's the NFL, so we'll forget all about it by next season.
14. Houston Texans (6-6, LW: 12)
Sunday night's game at home against New England is interesting. The Texans defense was on a roll before letting down a bit at Buffalo on Sunday. They could give the Patriots some problems if Rob Gronkowski is still out — especially with J.J. Watt against that beat-up Patriots offensive line.
13. Indianapolis Colts (6-6, LW: 11)
Matt Hasselbeck is no sure thing to start this week, because of a neck injury. Charlie Whitehurst would be next up. It will be interesting to see how the Colts play this, because the Dec. 20 game against the Texans seems like a de facto AFC South championship game.*
12. New York Jets (7-5, LW: 14)
I'm going to share a secret. We're all friends here, right? Nobody's going to mad? OK. I really want the Steelers to make the playoffs over the Jets. Sorry Jets, it would just be more fun that way.
11. Buffalo Bills (6-6, LW: 13)
Sunday's win keeps them alive. The final four games are against the Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys and Jets. It's not impossible to win all four.
10. Minnesota Vikings (8-4, LW: 6)
That was a disheartening loss. They're still not a complete team, but this is the time you step back and say they're pretty young (aside from their star running back, which will be an issue at some point) and the arrow is pointing up.
9. Green Bay Packers (8-4, LW: 9)
It will be interesting to see how the Rodgers-Rodgers Hail Mary ends up affecting the NFL playoff picture.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5, LW: 8)
Imagine if this offense had Le'Veon Bell.
7. Seattle Seahawks (7-5, LW: 10)
Well, there's the Seahawks defense we're used to seeing. They throttled the Vikings. If that defense is here to stay, we have to re-evaluate the Seahawks' ceiling this season. We'll see.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (7-5, LW: 7)
At Oakland was their last real test, and they passed it. Any NFL team can beat any other NFL team on the right day, but the Chiefs have an easy schedule from here on out. Their path to the playoffs is clear.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (10-2, LW: 5)
The top three of the AFC is very strong. You can make an argument for any of the three being the best. And it's the Bengals who, at the moment, hold the No. 1 seed.
4. New England Patriots (10-2, LW: 2)
We'll hear a ton this week about the Patriots losing two in a row, but we all know deep down they'll be fine. The problem is the rest of the AFC. The Patriots don't control if they get the No. 1 seed anymore, and if they drop any more games they might end up with the No. 3 seed. Then they'd have to win in the first playoff weekend (against Pittsburgh?) and then win at Cincinnati and Denver in back-to-back weeks to make the Super Bowl. That would be tough, to say the least.
3. Denver Broncos (10-2, LW: 4)
Their game in two weeks at Pittsburgh is enormous in the AFC playoff picture. The Steelers might need to win to get a wild-card spot. The Broncos might need it to get the No. 1 seed and make sure any rematch against the Patriots is in Denver. That result will affect how this entire season shakes out.
2. Arizona Cardinals (10-2, LW: 3)
Chris Johnson's injury might end up helping the offense. Rookie David Johnson's legs look a lot fresher.
1. Carolina Panthers (12-0, LW: 1)
Three straight NFC South titles is a nice achievement. No team had ever won two in a row in the NFC South before the Panthers.
Because that would mean the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't make the playoffs.
The Steelers are an interesting case. We saw on Sunday night how good they can be. They destroyed the Indianapolis Colts, behind an offense that seems unstoppable at times. That came a week after throwing for nearly 500 yards at Seattle. The Steelers might not be quite good enough to win four games in a row and take a Super Bowl, but in a one-game situation they'd be frightening for any opposing coach to prepare for. They could beat any team in the NFL on the right day. And, them winning four in a row in the playoffs can't be totally ruled out either. Their offensive weapons are that good.
PODCAST: Why don't people respect the Carolina Panthers?:
But if the playoffs started today, the Steelers wouldn't even be in. They'd be the seventh seed in a six-team field. And the remaining schedule is not easy.*
The Steelers go to Cincinnati this week to play the 10-2 Bengals. Then they come back home and play the 10-2 Broncos. That's the toughest remaining two-game stretch of any playoff contender.
The good news for the Steelers if if they, the Chiefs and Jets win out, the Steelers would get in, because they'd match the Jets' conference record and have the tiebreaker edge in record against common opponents. But with
Everyone knows, if the Steelers can just get in they're going to be a very, very tough out because of their offense. That makes their playoff push one of the more interesting stories to watch over the last four weeks. The rest of the AFC will be paying a lot of attention, for sure.
Here are Shutdown Corner's power rankings after Week 13:
32. Cleveland Browns (2-10, Last week: 32)
Sorry, just don't get why the Browns wasted a week when they could have been evaluating Johnny Manziel to make whatever point they were trying to make. But hey, at least Austin Davis' start went well.*
31. Baltimore Ravens (4-8, LW: 29)
Javorius "Buck" Allen had a big game, and he looked pretty good. Still, having a running back catching 12 passes for 107 yards probably says a lot about the current state of affairs of the banged-up Ravens offense.
30. San Francisco 49ers (4-8, LW: 30)
If you were the 49ers, would you go with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback to start next season? Remember, Colin Kaepernick costs a ton of money, and it's really hard to find a competent starting quarterback on the open market unless the draft drops one in your lap.
29. Tennessee Titans (3-9, LW: 31)
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8, LW: 28)
Allen Robinson is a legit No. 1. He has 1,080 yards and 11 touchdowns with four games to go. He's the first 1,000-yard receiver for the Jaguars since Jimmy Smith in 2005. The fact that it's been 10 years is really odd, actually.
27. St. Louis Rams (4-8, LW: 23)
Nick Foles has the third-best passer rating in a single season in NFL history. I can't explain it either.
26. San Diego Chargers (3-9, LW: 27)
I get why the Chargers won't accept Melvin Gordon's fumbling. He was benched for losing his fourth fumble of the season on Sunday. But they're also a 3-9 team and having a quick hook like that can't help the confidence of their first-round pick.
25. Miami Dolphins (5-7, LW: 22)
Ryan Tannehill was 9 of 19 for 86 yards. In a full NFL game.
24. Detroit Lions (4-8, LW: 21)
I think if Jim Caldwell had any shot of keeping his job, he lost it when he played to stop a lateral play rather than a Hail Mary on the final play against Green Bay. He just can't live that down, on top of everything else that has happened.
23. New Orleans Saints (4-8, LW: 25)
The Saints defense has allowed a 116.6 passer rating this season. To put that in perspective, only four quarterbacks in NFL history have posted a rating better than 116.6 in a season (and yes, one of them was Foles ... I still can't explain it).
22. Dallas Cowboys (4-8, LW: 26)
Here's why the strategy to not put Tony Romo on injured reserve was smart, and not because that awful win Monday night leaves them one game out in the NFC East. If there's even a 1 percent chance that the Cowboys make the playoffs and Romo is healthy by then, that provides infinitely more value than whoever would get Dallas' 53rd spot on the roster. It's amazing when you see teams screw this up. Having an extra player who will be inactive each week until season's end is not more valuable than the chance of having your starting quarterback return for the playoffs, however small that chance is.
21. Atlanta Falcons (6-6, LW: 20)
Here's a problem: Julio Jones hasn't scored a touchdown in four straight games. ESPN.com said he was frustrated with the red-zone play calling. Well, yeah.
20. Oakland Raiders (5-7, LW: 18)
Derek Carr's three fourth-quarter interceptions were tough to swallow. After a fun start, the Raiders have lost four of five. But you'd assume they'll be better next season. Making the playoffs this year really wasn't a realistic part of the plan anyway.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7, LW: 24)
With Tom Brady as a starting quarterback, the Patriots are 96-16 at home. That's astonishing. Just remember that one of those 16 losses over the past 15 years was authored by Chip Kelly.
18. New York Giants (5-7, LW: 17)
I'm fine with Tom Coughlin going for it on fourth and 2 at the Jets' 4-yard line, with the Giants up 10. Don't judge decisions based on results. That's not a bad call. It just didn't work out.
17. Washington Redskins (5-7, LW: 16)
Tough to lose that one, at home, against a team that had been 0-7 with backup quarterbacks. They might really regret that Monday night loss.
16. Chicago Bears (5-7, LW: 15)
Strange stat: Since the beginning of November, the Bears are 3-0 on the road and 0-3 at home.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6, LW: 19)
14. Houston Texans (6-6, LW: 12)
Sunday night's game at home against New England is interesting. The Texans defense was on a roll before letting down a bit at Buffalo on Sunday. They could give the Patriots some problems if Rob Gronkowski is still out — especially with J.J. Watt against that beat-up Patriots offensive line.
13. Indianapolis Colts (6-6, LW: 11)
Matt Hasselbeck is no sure thing to start this week, because of a neck injury. Charlie Whitehurst would be next up. It will be interesting to see how the Colts play this, because the Dec. 20 game against the Texans seems like a de facto AFC South championship game.*
12. New York Jets (7-5, LW: 14)
I'm going to share a secret. We're all friends here, right? Nobody's going to mad? OK. I really want the Steelers to make the playoffs over the Jets. Sorry Jets, it would just be more fun that way.
11. Buffalo Bills (6-6, LW: 13)
Sunday's win keeps them alive. The final four games are against the Eagles, Redskins, Cowboys and Jets. It's not impossible to win all four.
10. Minnesota Vikings (8-4, LW: 6)
That was a disheartening loss. They're still not a complete team, but this is the time you step back and say they're pretty young (aside from their star running back, which will be an issue at some point) and the arrow is pointing up.
9. Green Bay Packers (8-4, LW: 9)
It will be interesting to see how the Rodgers-Rodgers Hail Mary ends up affecting the NFL playoff picture.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5, LW: 8)
Imagine if this offense had Le'Veon Bell.
7. Seattle Seahawks (7-5, LW: 10)
6. Kansas City Chiefs (7-5, LW: 7)
At Oakland was their last real test, and they passed it. Any NFL team can beat any other NFL team on the right day, but the Chiefs have an easy schedule from here on out. Their path to the playoffs is clear.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (10-2, LW: 5)
The top three of the AFC is very strong. You can make an argument for any of the three being the best. And it's the Bengals who, at the moment, hold the No. 1 seed.
4. New England Patriots (10-2, LW: 2)
We'll hear a ton this week about the Patriots losing two in a row, but we all know deep down they'll be fine. The problem is the rest of the AFC. The Patriots don't control if they get the No. 1 seed anymore, and if they drop any more games they might end up with the No. 3 seed. Then they'd have to win in the first playoff weekend (against Pittsburgh?) and then win at Cincinnati and Denver in back-to-back weeks to make the Super Bowl. That would be tough, to say the least.
3. Denver Broncos (10-2, LW: 4)
Their game in two weeks at Pittsburgh is enormous in the AFC playoff picture. The Steelers might need to win to get a wild-card spot. The Broncos might need it to get the No. 1 seed and make sure any rematch against the Patriots is in Denver. That result will affect how this entire season shakes out.
2. Arizona Cardinals (10-2, LW: 3)
Chris Johnson's injury might end up helping the offense. Rookie David Johnson's legs look a lot fresher.
1. Carolina Panthers (12-0, LW: 1)
Three straight NFC South titles is a nice achievement. No team had ever won two in a row in the NFC South before the Panthers.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab