Steelers Catch Wild Jab From NFL Analyst During Chargers-Patriots Broadcast

The Pittsburgh Steelers had the unfortunate honor of playing in the NFL's first ever game broadcasted on Netflix. The Christmas Day showdown versus the Kansas City Chiefs led to a disappointing 29-10 loss for Mike Tomlin and his team, and solidified a three-game losing streak. The group will get a long mini-bye week to fix several issues, but it's now likely that the AFC North will be won by the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh will potentially be fighting for Wild Card positioning come Week 18, and one thing is certain: no one wants to see the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the playoffs.

Josh Allen is currently expected to be the league's Most Valuable Player, and the Bills' offense is capable of putting up 30 points or more each week it steps on the field. The Los Angeles Chargers clinched a playoff berth with a win against the New England Patriots on Saturday, and as the game was out of reach in the second half, former player and now-analyst Ross Tucker was asked by play-by-play announcer Chris Rose about the Chargers' Week 18 plans.

When questioned about the idea of the Chargers potentially resting players in the final week of the regular season, Tucker brought up the Steelers, but not the Denver Broncos, without being prompted.

"Oh no, they're going to go for it," Tucker said when discussing Los Angeles' decision to play starters in Week 18. "Because the Steelers have to play the Bengals. The Steelers have not been playing well. It's a very losable game for Pittsburgh. And the Chargers, and any team, would love to get the five seed right about now."

Tucker makes a good point when it comes to the AFC's fifth seed. The Houston Texans are injured and seem to be the conference's weakest link when it comes to potential division winners. Without even mentioning the other Wild Card team in the Broncos, Tucker took the opportunity to state that the Steelers have no been playing their best football, even though the they had just wrapped up arguably the toughest three-game stretch that the NFL has seen in 2024.

Tucker's comments highlight what fans in the Steel City already know, and that is the fact that the Steelers aren't playing good football currently. It was certainly odd, however, to hear him go right to speaking about Pittsburgh when asked about the Chargers' plans for Week 18.

For Pittsburgh, winning during the final regular season week is critical, and it's specifically so the team doesn't have to worry about playing the Ravens or Bills in the first round of the postseason. Regardless of what the Bengals' status is, Tomlin's group must approach the game as a must-win. It's not just for seeding, but also to go into the playoffs coming off of a win, rather than a four-game losing streak.

It would be looked at as an serious collapse if the Steelers can't defeat the Bengals and then go on to lose in the postseason immediately. Time is ticking, and both the players and coaches in the locker room are at risk to face serious backlash if Pittsburgh doesn't quickly figure it out.

Steelers Would Be At A Serious Disadvantage In Buffalo Come January

Pittsburgh already lost to the Bills in the Wild Card Round of the 2023 campaign. No one wants to play Allen and co. right now, but Tomlin's group would likely be severe underdogs given the offense's ineptitude and defense's inconsistencies in recent weeks. Time will tell, but Tucker's jab should send a message to the locker room and that is the fact that not many people out there believe in the Steelers right now after a hard month of December.

Do you think that Pittsburgh will end up losing in the first round of the 2024 playoffs? Let us know in the comments below!

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