Steelers’ resurrected season has playoff life
Left for dead in mid-December, the Steelers are heading back to the playoffs anyway.
Pittsburgh clinched a wild-card spot Sunday when the Titans upset the Jaguars, giving the Steelers (10-7) a playoff berth that seemed unlikely following a three-game skid that included home losses to the lowly Cardinals and Patriots.
Coach Mike Tomlin inserted thirdstringer Mason Rudolph at quarterback after getting blown out at Indianapolis Dec. 16, and Rudolph responded by helping Pittsburgh reel off consecutive wins over the Bengals, Seahawks, and the AFC North champion Ravens.
The Steelers will be the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs, after the Bills beat the Dolphins on Sunday night to finish first in the AFC East and claim the No. 2 seed. Pittsburgh will travel to Buffalo next Sunday (1 p.m.).
Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since beating Kansas City in the divisional round of the 2016 postseason. The Steelers have lost each of their last four playoff games decisively, starting with a loss to the Patriots in the 2016 AFC Championship game.
Pittsburgh will have to move forward without star outside linebacker T.J.
Watt. The perennial All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year candidate left Saturday’s 17-10 victory over Baltimore with a knee injury that is expected to sideline him indefinitely.
The Steelers have endured a topsyturvy season that included them getting off to a 6-3 start despite getting outgained in each game. They then dropped four of five, including a loss to Cleveland on Nov. 19 that led to embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s firing two days later.
The offense perked up in a win over Cincinnati, but starting quarterback Kenny Pickett injured his right ankle in the second quarter Dec. 3 against Arizona. Mitch Trubisky took over and was largely ineffective as the Steelers fell to the Cardinals, Patriots, and Colts to fall outside the playoff picture.
Tomlin turned to Rudolph, one of the longest-tenured players on the team who had spent two-plus years buried on the bench, in search of a spark. He provided one that has propelled the Steelers back to the playoffs.
Pickett is fully recovered and served as Rudolph’s backup in Baltimore.
Kelce, Mahomes sit
Travis Kelce was inactive for the Chiefs’ 13-12 win over the Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., ending the star tight end’s chance to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the eighth straight year. Kelce needed 16 yards to hit the milestone, which would have been the fourth-longest streak in NFL history regardless of position, but with the team locked into the third seed in the AFC playoffs Kansas City decided to play it safe.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the two-time Super Bowl MVP, had been downgraded to out earlier, with Blaine Gabbert making the start. The Chiefs sat several other key starters as well.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones did play and picked up a sack to collect a $1.25 million bonus written into his contract with Kansas City. He came into the game needing a half-sack to earn the bonus at 10 for the season.
Hurts, Eagles hurting
Jalen Hurts said the right middle finger on his throwing hand simply “popped out,” a gruesome injury for the quarterback as the banged-up Eagles lost to the Giants, 27-10, in East Rutherford, N.J., for a 1-5 finish ahead of next weekend’s NFC wild-card playoff game against Tampa Bay.
Trailing 24-0, Philadelphia went the rest of the way without the hurting Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee). The stumbling Eagles went into the game with a chance to claim the NFC East, which the Cowboys secured.
Aubrey’s FG streak ends
Brandon Aubrey’s career-opening field goal streak is over — and he made it back-to-back misses. Aubrey had his 36th attempt of the season, from 32 yards out, blocked and then hit the left upright on a 36-yarder in the playoffbound Cowboys’ 38-10 win over the Commanders in Landover, Md. The rookie was good from 50 yards late.
Henry finishes strong
Derrick Henry ran for a season-high 153 yards and a touchdown in his last game under contract with the Titans, a 28-20 win over the Jaguars in Nashville. Henry, who turned 30 Thursday, rushed for an 18-yard touchdown and also broke off a 69-yard run.