What are the Steelers Playoff Chances?
The Steelers chances to make the playoffs are 70%, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Their odds improved from 57.4% last week.
I'll be looking at the New York Times Postseason Simulator and the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) value during the season for further indications on where the Steelers stand.
Twelve teams currently have better odds to win the Super Bowl than the Steelers: The 49ers, Chiefs, Eagles, Dolphins, Cowboys, Lions, Bills, Ravens, Bengals, Jaguars, Browns and Seahawks.
Steelers Week-by-Week Playoff Chances
Entering Week 13 of the regular season, the Steelers have a 70% chance of making the playoffs. Their odds shortened after defeating the Bengals. I'll be updating the Steelers' chances of making the playoffs each week throughout the 2023 season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule and Betting Lines
The Steelers play host to the Cardinals Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium. The Cardinals are 2-10 following a loss to the Rams. They are in last place in the NFC West division.
The Steelers lead the all-time series, 35-23-3. They’ve won the past four games and six of the past seven in the series. The previous time the Cardinals won in Pittsburgh was 1969.
After going on the road for two division games the Steelers play three of their next four games at home. The Steelers will have an opportunity to solidify their playoff position over the next month. After the Cardinals, they get the Patriots at home and travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts before returning home to play host to the Bengals on Dec. 23.
Steelers Playoff Picture: Key Updates December 2023
The Steelers are 7-4 and tied for second place in the AFC North, 1.5 games behind the first-place Ravens, who have their bye this week. They currently are the No. 5 seed in the AFC ahead of the No. 6 seed Browns based on their better record in the AFC North. The Steelers got some help over the weekend when the Eagles beat the Bills in overtime, dealing the Bills a significant blow to their playoff hopes.
The Steelers did not have any players suffer significant injuries against the Bengals, and they could get a big boost if Minkah Fitzpatrick can return against the Cardinals. Fitzpatrick, who has missed the past four games with a hamstring injury, is expected to practice Wednesday.
Coach Mike Tomlin said he is "cautiously optimistic" about Fitzpatrick this week as well as defensive tackle Montravius Adams, who has missed the past three games with an ankle injury.
Tomlin said quarterback Kenny Pickett has a minor ankle injury, but it's not expected to prevent him from playing against the Cardinals.
The backups who are filling in for the injured players have been a big part of the defense’s success. Trenton Thompson, making his second NFL start against the Bengals, had his first career interception in the third quarter and set up the Steelers’ only touchdown drive of the game.
Rookie second-round pick Keeanu Benton has been excellent at nose tackle in place of Adams while inside linebacker Elandon Roberts has been terrific since the season-ending injuries to Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander. Roberts has led the team in tackles the past two games.
- 📅 November 25: The Steelers elevated linebacker Tariq Carpenter from the practice squad to the active roster.
- 📅 November 21: The Steelers fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada and signed linebacker Blake Martinez to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 November 20: The Steelers signed safety Trenton Thompson to the 53-man roster and placed safety Elijah Riley on injured reserve. They also signed linebacker Myles Jack and defensive back Eric Rowe to the practice squad.
- 📅 November 18: The Steelers placed safety Keanu Neal on injured reserve and activated tight end Pat Freiermuth from injured reserve to the active roster. They also signed linebacker Mykal Walker from their practice squad to the active roster and elevated linebacker Tariq Carpenter and safety Trenton Thompson from the practice squad to the active roster for the Browns game.
- 📅 November 14: The Steelers placed linebacker Kwon Alexander on injured reserve. They also released offensive lineman Joey Fisher and tight end Scotty Washington from their practice squad.
- 📅 November 13: The Steelers waived nose tackle Breiden Fehoko.
- 📅 November 11: The Steelers elevated linebacker Tariq Carpenter and safety Trenton Thompson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 November 6: The Steelers placed LB Cole Holcomb on injured reserve and activated running back Anthony McFarland from injured reserve to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 November 1: The Steelers activated defensive lineman Cam Heyward from injured reserve to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 October 31: The Steelers signed safety Jalen Elliott to the practice squad and released outside linebacker David Perales from the practice squad.
- 📅 October 24: The Steelers signed linebacker Caleb Johnson and tight end Scotty Washington to the practice squad and released offensive lineman Obinna Eze and tight end Noah Gindorff from the practice squad.
- 📅 October 21: The Steelers activated receiver Diontae Johnson from injured reserve; placed tight end Pat Freiermuth on injured reserve; and released receiver Gunner Olszewski.
- 📅 October 10: The Steelers signed linebacker Kyron Johnson to their practice squad.
- 📅 October 9: The Steelers signed running back Jack Colletto to the practice squad and released running back Zander Horvath and punter Brad Wing from the practice squad
- 📅 October 7: The Steelers elevated offensive lineman Ryan McCollum and punter Brad Wing from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 October 4: The Steelers promoted tight end Rodney Williams from the practice squad to the active roster and signed receiver Dez Fitzpatrick and tight end Noah Gindorff to the practice squad.
- 📅 October 3: The Steelers signed offensive lineman Obinna Eze and receiver Denzel Mims to the practice squad and released running back Greg Bell and receivers Jalen Camp and Jacob Copeland from the practice squad.
- 📅 October 2: The Steelers released receiver Dez Fitzpatrick.
- 📅 September 30: The Steelers signed punter Brad Wing to their 53-man roster to punt against Texans in place of Pressley Harvin who could not play due to a hamstring injury.
- 📅 September 27: The Steelers signed receiver Jalen Camp and punter Brad Wing to their practice squad and released cornerback Kalon Barnes from their practice squad.
- 📅 September 23: The Steelers signed running back Qadree Ollison from their practice squad to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 September 20: The Steelers signed defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and signed running back Godwin Igwebuike from Atlanta’s practice squad to their 53-man roster. They also signed receiver Deuce Watts to their practice squad.
- 📅 September 18: The Steelers placed receiver Diontae Johnson and running back Anthony McFarland on injured reserve and promoted running back Qadree Ollison to the 53-man roster.
- 📅 September 15: The Steelers signed defensive back Kalon Barnes to their practice squad.
- 📅 September 14: The Steelers placed defensive end Cam Heyward on injured reserve and signed receiver Dez Fitzpatrick to their 53-man roster. They also signed running back Greg Bell and cornerback Luq Barcoo to their practice squad and placed safety Josiah Scott on the practice squad injured list. They also released defensive back Anthony Brown from their practice squad.
- 📅 September 13: The Steelers signed center Ryan McCollum to their practice squad.
- 📅 September 12: The Steelers signed receiver Jacob Copeland to their practice squad and released running back Greg Bell and cornerback Luq Barcoo from the practice squad.
- 📅 September 2: The Steelers signed running back Qadree Ollison, fullback Zander Horvath and defensive back Tariq Carpenter to their practice squad.
- 📅 August 31: The Steelers signed cornerback Desmond King to their 53-man roster and four players to their practice squad: offensive linemen Kellen Diesch and Joey Fisher, defensive back Josiah Scott and receiver Simi Fehoko.
- 📅 August 30: The Steelers released punter Braden Mann and signed nine players to their practice squad: cornerback Luq Barcoo, running back Greg Bell, defensive linemen Breiden Fehoko and Jonathan Marshall, receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, linebacker David Perales, safety Trenton Thompson and tight end Rodney Williams.
- 📅 August 22: The Steelers signed WR Aron Cruickshank and LB Kuony Deng and waived/injured WRs Cody White and Hakeem Butler.
- 📅 August 17: The Steelers waived WR JaMarcus Bradley with an injury settlement.
- 📅 August 15: The Steelers signed running back Xazavian Valladay and released running back John Lovett.
- 📅 August 14: The Steelers signed cornerback Lavert Hill, waived cornerback Duke Dawson with an injury designation, and waived cornerback Isaiah Dunn.
- 📅 August 13: The Steelers signed linebacker Forrest Rhyne and waived linebacker Chapelle Russell with an injury designation.
- 📅 August 8: The Steelers signed safety Jalen Elliott and waived receiver JaMarcus Bradley with an injury designation.
- 📅 August 2: The Steelers placed cornerback Cory Trice on injured reserve, waived running back Alfonzo Graham with an injury designation, and signed defensive backs Trenton Thompson and Isaiah Dunn.
- 📅 August 1: The Steelers signed running backs John Lovett and Greg Bell and waived running back Jason Huntley.
- 📅 July 30: The Steelers signed linebacker Kwon Alexander to a one-year contract and released offensive lineman Jarrid Williams. They also placed running back Monte Pottebaum on the reserved/retired list.
- 📅 July 26: Second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. signed his rookie contract.
- 📅 July 19: The Steelers signed outside linebacker Alex Highsmith to a five-year, $70 million deal.
I will continue to update this page all offseason, so be sure to bookmark it and return to see all of the latest updates regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers playoff chances.
Key Contributors Toward Steelers Playoff Chances
Outside linebacker T.J. Watt had two more sacks, giving him 13.5 for the season. He’s now leading the league in sacks and challenging Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Running back Najee Harris had 99 rushing yards against the Bengals to set his season-high. It was the fourth consecutive game the Steelers rushed for 150 yards or more.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth had the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, catching nine passes for 120 yards. He had 60 receiving yards in the first 10 games.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett threw for a season-high 278 yards and posted his second-best quarterback rating of the season against the Bengals.
Here are the current prop odds for some notable Steelers players from DraftKings:
Looking Ahead: Steelers Playoff Picture
The Steelers are 7-4 and in good position to earn a playoff berth in the AFC after beating the Bengals. The New York Times postseason simulator has their playoff chances at 78%. They are tied with the Browns for second place in the AFC North, but they currently hold the tiebreaker over the Browns based on their division record. They have a 5-3 conference record, which is important when it comes to tiebreakers for earning a wild card berth.
The Steelers have a great opportunity to get to move up in the AFC standings in the coming weeks. They play host to two of the worst teams in the NFL in the next couple of weeks. The 2-10 Cardinals visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday, and the 2-9 Patriots come to town the following week. After a road game against Indianapolis they return home for another game against the Bengals, who gained just 222 yards against the Steelers this past Sunday.
If the playoffs started today the Steelers would be the No. 5 seed in the AFC and would play the No. 4 seed Dolphins in Miami in a wild-card game.
Where Can I Bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers to Make the Playoffs?
Sports betting is legal in PA, and you can place bets at BetMGM, Caesar's, Fanduel, DraftKings, and more. PA sports betting sites aren't very high on the Steelers winning a division title, a conference championship game or the Super Bowl, so you can get some pretty good odds on them right now.
I recommend checking out the most recent Pennsylvania sportsbook promo codes prior to placing your first Steelers bet.
Do the Steelers Have a Chance to Make the Playoffs?
Yes, the Steelers have a chance to make the playoffs. They are tied for second place in the AFC North and in position to earn a wild-card berth.
The Steelers are listed at -235 to make the playoffs. They currently have better odds than the Bills, Bengals, Chargers, Jets, Patriots, Texans, Raiders, Colts, Titans and Broncos.
Are the Steelers Out of Playoffs?
No, it's Week 13 of the regular season, and the Steelers remain in contention for the AFC North title and a wild card berth in the AFC.
The Steelers have a 70% chance of making the playoffs.
Where Do the Pittsburgh Steelers Rank in the AFC North?
The Steelers have the second-best odds in the AFC North. The Ravens have the best odds, followed by the Steelers and then the Browns and the Bengals.
Where Do the Pittsburgh Steelers Rank in the AFC Standings?
The Steelers have the fifth-best odds (+2500) to win the AFC. The Chiefs, Ravens, Dolphins and Jaguars have better odds.
Where Do the Steelers Rank in the AFC Wild Card Race?
The Steelers currently have the fifth-best odds in the AFC to make the playoffs. They are in position to earn a wild card berth.
Can the Steelers Get the No. 1 Seed?
Yes, the Steelers can get the No. 1 seed. The Ravens are currently position to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Ravens are 1.5 games ahead of the Steelers, but the final game of the regular season pits the Steelers against the Ravens in Baltimore.
The Steelers last earned the No. 1 seed in 2004.
Who to Root for if You're a Steelers Fan
Steelers fans should always root against the Ravens and the other teams chasing them in the AFC wild-card race. Steelers fans should always root for NFC teams when they play AFC teams because that will increase their chances of qualifying as a wild card.
Steelers Postseason Outlook and Predictions
The Steelers are 7-4 heading into Sunday's game against the Cardinals. After the Cardinals, the Steelers play the Patriots, who have the worst record in the AFC. The Steelers are in great shape for a wild-card berth and still have a legitimate chance at the AFC North title. The Ravens have a much more difficult schedule over the final six weeks of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers Playoffs FAQ
70%. The Steelers are among the favorites in the AFC to make the playoffs according to the oddsmakers, but they are several other teams chasing them for a wild-card berth.
No. They're actually in great position to make the playoffs after missing the postseason last year.
Yes, the Steelers have a 70% chance to make the playoffs.
You can bet on the Steelers at BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings and other sportsbooks. Betting is legal in Pennsylvania.
| Steelers Playoff & Super Bowl Odds 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|
| 🏆 Odds to win SB LVIII | 1.4% |
| 👑 Odds to win AFC | 3.85% |
| ⭐ Odds to win AFC North | 20% |
| 🔥 Odds to Make Playoffs | 70% |
| ❌ Odds to miss playoffs | 30% |
| ✅ Date verified by expert | |
Author
Ray has worked in sports journalism for the past 26 years, covering Super Bowls, Stanley Cup Finals, Final Fours and BCS national championship games. He's been on the Steelers beat since 2012.
