Steelers clinch playoff spot

[WindyCitySteel]

I’m amazed at the number of people online and on The Fan who think we need to rest everyone this week vs. the Ravens because we would still control our destiny to win the division. First of all, there’s no guarantee that Pickens and Watt would be ready four days later, and oh by they way their destiny includes the two-time defending champs on a short week.

All in for Baltimore, if you’d play in a playoff game, you play this Sunday.

[NorthCoast]

I’m amazed at the number of people online and on The Fan who think we need to rest everyone this week vs. the Ravens because we would still control our destiny to win the division. First of all, there’s no guarantee that Pickens and Watt would be ready four days later, and oh by they way their destiny includes the two-time defending champs on a short week.

All in for Baltimore, if you’d play in a playoff game, you play this Sunday.

Depends on what the team goal is. Not sure 'division crown' was mentioned prior to the season starting. What was mentioned quite often was must win a playoff game. If that is in fact the goal, then resting players is not all that unreasonable. If they limp into another post season with knicked up players, it's likely another one and done just like the last few years. Thus, goal not achieved.

[Northern_Blitz]

I’m amazed at the number of people online and on The Fan who think we need to rest everyone this week vs. the Ravens because we would still control our destiny to win the division. First of all, there’s no guarantee that Pickens and Watt would be ready four days later, and oh by they way their destiny includes the two-time defending champs on a short week.

All in for Baltimore, if you’d play in a playoff game, you play this Sunday.

Man...this sounds like exactly the reason not to listen to that kind of stuff.

This is obviously the most important game we have left before the playoffs.

[Northern_Blitz]

Depends on what the team goal is. Not sure 'division crown' was mentioned prior to the season starting. What was mentioned quite often was must win a playoff game. If that is in fact the goal, then resting players is not all that unreasonable. If they limp into another post season with knicked up players, it's likely another one and done just like the last few years. Thus, goal not achieved.

My guess is that history will suggest that playing at home in the playoffs is better to much better than playing on the road.

If people think it's a good idea to take a week off to rest, much better to do it against KC or CIN than BAL.

Can't remember a time where a team sat starters to prepare for the playoffs with 3 games to go. Maybe that happens eventually (like the NBA)?

[NorthCoast]

A league of haves/have nots:

https://apnews.com/article/nfl-playoffs-draft-09fea1cb77287ab72219b6635922af38

NFL has a record number of playoff clinches and bottom dwellers with 3 weeks to go
By JOSH DUBOW
Updated 6:10 AM EST, December 18, 2024
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There might by more intrigue in the race for the No. 1 pick than in the race to make the playoffs in the final three weeks.

There’s already a record number of teams that have clinched a playoff spot with three weeks to play in the NFL season and a record number of teams with three or fewer wins after Week 15 as a league built on parity has become one of haves and have-nots.

Seven playoff spots have been clinched at this point in the season for the first time ever and the 50% of playoff berths filled are the most with three weeks remaining, according to Sportradar. The previous high since the 1970 merger was 42.9% in 2022 when six spots were clinched with three weeks to play.

The entire AFC field could be determined by the end of the games on Sunday afternoon. Baltimore and Denver can clinch spots with wins, while the Chargers need a win and losses by Indianapolis and Miami.

The NFC could have five of the seven playoff spots clinched by the end of this week if Washington beats Philadelphia on Sunday and Green Bay beats New Orleans on Monday night.

[Captain Lemming]

Man...this sounds like exactly the reason not to listen to that kind of stuff.

This is obviously the most important game we have left before the playoffs.

I think Windy is exaggerating about “resting everybody”. I haven’t heard that and it is ridiculous. Nobody is talking about resting players like it is the last game of the season.

What we ARE hearing is not rushing injured players back, which is perfectly reasonable because you don’t want to win the division at the expense of losing Watt or Pickens for the playoffs.

Additionally, if Watts ankle is in pain, he is going to be less effective than our very capable backups.

Dont want to “Roman Wilson” (try to bring them back early only to lose the season) these guys before we even get to the playoffs.

[Northern_Blitz]

I think Windy is exaggerating about “resting everybody”. I haven’t heard that and it is ridiculous. Nobody is talking about resting players like it is the last game of the season.

What we ARE hearing is not rushing injured players back, which is perfectly reasonable because you don’t want to win the division at the expense of losing Watt or Pickens for the playoffs.

Additionally, if Watts ankle is in pain, he is going to be less effective than our very capable backups.

Dont want to “Roman Wilson” (try to bring them back early only to lose the season) these guys before we even get to the playoffs.

I hear what you're saying.

And if we win this game, we can rest guys for the next two weeks if we want to. Because we aren't going to be the 1 seed anyway.

I'd really like to avoid going on the road for the WC round.

[NorthCoast]

My guess is that history will suggest that playing at home in the playoffs is better to much better than playing on the road.

If people think it's a good idea to take a week off to rest, much better to do it against KC or CIN than BAL.

Can't remember a time where a team sat starters to prepare for the playoffs with 3 games to go. Maybe that happens eventually (like the NBA)?

Do you really think the odds are better if the Steelers have a home playoff game but without Watt or Pickens if they got re-injured in one of these games? I don't. You can't win battles, regardless of where they are, if you don't have the soldiers.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

My guess is that history will suggest that playing at home in the playoffs is better to much better than playing on the road.

If people think it's a good idea to take a week off to rest, much better to do it against KC or CIN than BAL.

Can't remember a time where a team sat starters to prepare for the playoffs with 3 games to go. Maybe that happens eventually (like the NBA)?

Can't remember the year, and memory might be a little hazy, but I recall one of the years during the Pats' glory days that the Giants played them late in the season, maybe even the last week. Coach asked the team if they wanted to rest injured players and rest for the playoffs, or go all out to try to beat them. The team chose to try to win the game and lost. Fast forward a month or so and the Giants beat them in the Super Bowl - despite risking their hurt players late in the year. *Just looked it up and the Giants lost to the Pats week 17 of the 2007 season.

[Northern_Blitz]

Do you really think the odds are better if the Steelers have a home playoff game but without Watt or Pickens if they got re-injured in one of these games? I don't. You can't win battles, regardless of where they are, if you don't have the soldiers.

My guess is that this question is kind of impossible for any of us to answer without us making up the story of what's going on behind the scenes. But I'll do my best here.

Only going by the public information we have, I think holding Watt out of the most important game of the year because he might get re-injured and not be able to heal over the next 3 weeks before the playoff game seems overly cautious.

I think this because we've been getting positive information about Watt's injury basically from the final whistle last game.

So without actually knowing what's going on, I think he is going to be cleared to play and should play.

For Pickens, I think it's less clear. Seems to me like they've been much less forthcoming about his injury. And I think that's not good news. If it was the severe hamstring issue that reportedly needs 4-6 weeks, then I'm less optimistic that he'll be able to go.

If it is a hamstring injury, I think the odds of reinjury are much higher here than the "rolled ankle" that Watt apparently has. My guess is that can be immobilized reasonably well and he'd be able to play without doing more damage. But that the lack of ankle mobility will make it harder for him to bend the edge. But I'm not a doctor and even if I were I haven't seen the injury. So who knows?

If ankle mobility is an issue, I wonder if it would be easier for him to do if they moved him to the other side? But I think the reason that Watt plays almost exclusively on the right is that he bends much better on that side. I remember Bud was saying that there's a thing he can do on that side that he just can't do on the other side.

Ultimately, I don't think I'd shift the decision making to more conservative than normal becuase the playoffs start 21-ish days after this game. But I'd be more caution with Pickens than Watt based on the type of injury and information we have.

[NorthCoast]

Do you really think the odds are better if the Steelers have a home playoff game but without Watt or Pickens if they got re-injured in one of these games? I don't. You can't win battles, regardless of where they are, if you don't have the soldiers.

Having thought this over further, and the fact that Watt has been a complete non-factor in the postseason maybe it doesn't matter if he limps into the playoffs. So go ahead and play him Saturday.

[Northern_Blitz]

Report on Steelers injury situation. I don't know who this guy is. But apparently an actual reporter that gets to watch practices.

Watt probably in. Practicing in individual and team. But maybe going from the other side more to protect his ankle. Maybe on a snap count.

Pickens probably out this week...maybe next week? Only one practice for that week.

Larry O in.

Elliot practicing, but probably not in this week.

Fields not practicing. Says probably out this week. Expects him out next week too.

Jackson...game day decision.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Pittsburgh Steelers Participation/Injury Report, Week 16

Game Status

No. 2 QB Justin Fields (Abdominal) - Out
No. 14 WR George Pickens (Hamstring) - Out
No. 25 S DeShon Elliott (Hamstring) - Doubtful
No. 26 CB Donte Jackson (Back) - Questionable
No. 99 DT Larry Ogunjobi (Groin) - Questionable

[feltdizz]

Having thought this over further, and the fact that Watt has been a complete non-factor in the postseason maybe it doesn't matter if he limps into the playoffs. So go ahead and play him Saturday.

yeah, the Watt injured late in seasons story line enters its 3rd straight season.

[Eich]

And this Watt injury was weird. I didn't see anything abnormal on the play. Just suddenly, an ankle injury. Didn't look like it rolled on him or anything.