Steelers Not That Much of a Longshot to Make Playoffs

• Steelers need help to find way into the postseason
• Ravens can end Steelers playoff push with win over Browns
• Is it worth betting on Pittsburgh’s longer odds?

Perhaps it’s only fitting that the AFC North is keeping things in-house as the Ravens and Steelers fight for a playoff berth in the final week of the NFL regular season.

The Steelers and Ravens are the two of the top three dangerous teams in the AFC. Only 1 can make the playoffs.

— Thoughts Of A Steelers Fan (@Steelersthough1) December 27, 2018

Among the myriad of playoff scenarios that are up for grabs in Week 17, this one for the AFC North crown and lone postseason spot is pretty straightforward: Baltimore needs to beat the Browns and they’re in.

The Steelers, meanwhile, need to beat the Bengals, then have the Browns upend the Ravens and they get in.

It’s a family affair. Let’s look at how you should wager on this one.

Baltimore Ravens Playoff Odds

*All odds taken 12/27

Look, the Ravens are business, full stop. They boast the NFL’s best defense, and that side of the ball alone keeps them in games. Baltimore’s D unleashed some fury in a demolition of the high-powered Chargers in Week 16.

SACK!!@TheRealZSmith gets to Rivers to force the punt! pic.twitter.com/m61d0zC3Oz

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 23, 2018

Helping out that side of the ball has been the wrinkle of inserting Lamar Jackson in as starting QB. He’s 4-1 in five games, and their offense is literally a knuckleball pitcher in a world of flame throwers.

Lamar Jackson is like Darth Vader.

He's dangerous in space. https://t.co/WWU0GOou8i

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 23, 2018

The run-heavy offense is so dominant you forget that Jackson is able to chuck it some too. Play action is a real weapon, and Jackson is figuring things out on the fly.

LAMAR JACKSON.

68-yard TOUCHDOWN pass to @MAndrews_81! #RavensFlock

📺: #BALvsLAC on @nflnetwork https://t.co/tMEiQEkUkc

— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2018

Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff Odds

Meanwhile, the Steelers are reeling.

At one point, they were sitting at 7-2-1 and in complete control of their own destiny. But they’ve gotten into a pretty meaty part of their schedule, and they’ve dropped four of five.

That included a loss to the lowly Raiders, a team chasing a high draft pick.

There’s no way it should have been that close. It ended in disaster.

https://twitter.com/SportsQuotient/status/1071926118473711623

After squeezing by New England for a much-needed win, they were in tough against the Saints in Week 16. A late game turnover left Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes dangling by a thread.

The Saints force the fumble on JuJu Smith-Schuster to end the game

New Orleans clinches the #1 seed in the NFC https://t.co/6vhJyPX3mw

— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) December 24, 2018

With a game left, the Steelers should hold up their end of the bargain though against the reeling Bengals, who have lost six of their last seven. Leaving all eyes on Baltimore.

What’s the Best Bet to Make?

I know this sounds crazy, but who would have imagined that the Cleveland Browns have the hammer, in the biggest high-stakes game the franchise has played in years?

And yet, here’s where we are.

who else has their #84 @browns jersey ready for Sunday? pic.twitter.com/09WIfhCKPM

— AB (@AB84) December 27, 2018

They have already beaten the Ravens once this year, a 12-9 ugly fest in rookie QB Baker Mayfield’s first career start. He went for 342 yards and a TD strike, despite being sacked five times.

And that was still under the tutelage of head coach Hue Jackson, who’s since been fired.

Baker Mayfield finds Rashard Higgins for a 19-yard TDhttps://t.co/M4U3yxM0vD

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 7, 2018

They’ve rolled to a 5-2 record in his absence, with Mayfield unleashing a brand of football that people in Cleveland are truly excited about.

It’s what makes this wager so intriguing. Browns-Ravens is going to be a dandy, with rookie QBs growing before our eyes, each backed by a formidable defense.

If you don’t think @bakermayfield isn’t thinking of sticking it to the @Ravens this week on behalf of all Cleveland fans who lost the #Browns version 1.0, you don’t know the half about waking up dangerous.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) December 26, 2018

It won’t be easy, but if you believe in Mayfield like I do, then the Steelers’ long odds to make the playoffs is your bet.