Root for the Bengals tonight.

[Steelhere10]

It is a very slim chance, but the Steelers could still get the number 2 seed. If the Broncos lose two straight. It's a slim chance with Denver playing Oakland but the Bengals winning/losing have no negative effect on us.

[Bigsteel]

Only thing is... The Ben gals don't play tonight and the Broncs can only tie Steelers with Broncs having the tie breaker with strength of victory

[Steelhere10]

Only thing is... The Ben gals don't play tonight and the Broncs can only tie Steelers with Broncs having the tie breaker with strength of victoryconference records decide the head to head, and you are right that game is Monday.

[AzStillers1989]

conference records decide the head to head, and you are right that game is Monday.
I'm pretty sure Denver has a better conference record.

[Slapstick]

If Denver loses and Pit wins, I believe the conference record will be tied...that's how it comes down to strength of victory...

[Steelhere10]

Both teams would have lost two to NFC teams, The bleacher report is saying somehow the Steelers could be Number2 but some other things probably would have to happen.

[Steelhere10]

Maybe some kind of three way tie perhaps.

[Flasteel]

It's likely we would lose the tie-breaker with Denver based on strength of victory. If they lose-out and we win next week, we would have identical conference records (9-3) and record in common games (4-1). Right now, they have outscored oppoenents 407-303 (Cincy game pending) and we have outscored our opponents 409-351. They would basically have to get blown-out twice.

[Slapstick]

Strength of victory is the aggregate W-L record of the opponents you defeated...

Some of our big wins are cancelled out (Indianapolis, for example) because the Broncos also defeated them...

They get a big edge by having defeated the division leading Cardinals while we defeated the division leading Panthers...

Personally, I'm rooting for the Broncos...if we beat the Bengals twice, I'd rather not have to beat them a third time, especially in back-to-back weeks. I'd prefer taking the Chargers at home or even the Ravens...

[Discipline of Steel]

Id rather see Cinci blowed out and coming into next week with their tail between their legs.

[Flasteel]

Id rather see Cinci blowed out and coming into next week with their tail between their legs.

Me too.

My bad on the interpretation of Strength of Victory. Either way, we aren't likely to get the 2 seed. I hope Cincy gets crushed in every way imaginable.

[pittpete]

Home game is fine with me..
Could care less about seeding.

[Steelhere10]

Home game is fine with me..
Could care less about seeding.Only having to win two playoffs games opposed to three is the easiest way to the SB. Even an article on the Depot thinks it's a chance at the number 2 seed.

[JoshBroski]

Id rather see Cinci blowed out and coming into next week with their tail between their legs.
Thats the worst thing that can happen dude. Teams always play pissed after blowouts. See Raiders or Sainta after we played them.

[Sword]

even if Denver looses the next two games and we win next week.
We will be number 3 seed... Denver wins tie record scenero....
so the best we can be is number 3
http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

[Discipline of Steel]

One other thought....and Im not trying to weasel out of tough games....but if we lose to Cinci. they will get the Pats* and Dolts next year, not us.
Just a little silver lining in case things go south.....

[bostonsteeler]

Im glad the Bungles won. It makes it slightly less possible that the Steelers will come in overconfident.

Its a trap game. They dont *have* to win. They've beaten the Bengals badly. They're on a 7-2 run. Cue one for a bad game.

Personally, I'd prefer a win where nobody gets hurt, but given a choice between a bruising victory leaving key players limping and a tame loss where everyone comes out fit (and p.o.ed enough to make an angry run through the next 4 games), I'd prefer the latter.

[Sugar]

It seems that Cincy has played the Steelers tougher in Pittsburgh than at home lately. It's kind of nice that they got the primetime monkey off their backs against a good team like Denver and they are already in the dance- they are the team in the AFCN that I hate the least, still :bungalssuck