If things fall the way I think, then at this point of the season we are looking at a 10-2 record.

If things go just a little bit right, we could be 14-0 or 13-1.

Neither would surprise me.

Frankly, there isn’t a game on our schedule that isn’t winnable. Still, circumstances often conspire to make life difficult, and that stretch in the last quarter, playing 2 game over 4 days, well that’s rough.

So we come to the finale, the last quarter, and the push to the playoffs. I don’t think there is any doubt we’ll be playing postseason football, the question is where, and for how long. We could be the number one seed, or maybe we fall to the number 2 spot?

Frankly, I don’t think more than one other team is going to end up with a record as good as or better than ours, but only time will tell.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the 4th quarter of the 2016 season.

4th Quarter – @ Bills, @Bengals, Ravens, Browns

The toughest thing about this part of the schedule is that we have back-to-back-to-back in-conference games. As much as the Nation believes we should hammer the Browns, they still tend to play us hard – heck, we are their Super Bowl!

We know what the Ravens’ games are like, and the Bengals games have gotten, if anything, worse!

So there is a touch stretch after the Bills game. The best thing that can be said about it is that we have the last two games at home. If things fall right, the Bengals game will be our last road game of the season, including the playoffs!

Steelers @ Bills – Sunday, December 11^th 1:00 PM

I can honestly tell you I have no clue what to expect out of the Bills: my gut tells me they will stink.

They have issues all over the place, have lost guys to suspensions, and I’m not sure if Tyrod Taylor was a one-season wonder, or is the real deal. I just don’t know. The one thing I do know is they have a nasty front on the defense. They will get after the passer, but if our O-line has stayed healthy, I think that we match up pretty well.

Sammy Watkins is a matchup problem for us. He’s big and fast and really an amazing athlete. LeSean McCoy, who knows at this point? I don’t think Reggie Bush has much left in his tank either, so really when you look at this, it’s Watkins and Tyrod who are the Bills offense. I think we can keep them in check. The only real worry about this game is that we overlook the Bills and start thinking about the Bengals.

Unless the Bills surprise the crap out me and are playing really well, with a chance at the playoffs (something I clearly don’t expect) I think we have a scenario here similar to the Chargers game last year – I think the Nation takes over the Ralph Wilson Stadium, and this is like a home game for us. If the team is in any way looking ahead, that might bring them back to the here and now, when they see those towels waving!

We lead the overall series here 15-9, and we haven’t lost to the Bills since 1999. We played a tight game winning in overtime in 2010, but other than that, these games haven’t been that close.

We leave Buffalo 11-2.

Steelers @ Bengals – Sunday December 18^th 8:30 PM

Can we sweep the Bengals?

This is not going to be a pretty game.

Unless Burfict has done something to get himself suspended again (which, considering he’s now on the Commissioners radar, could happen) you know he will be fired up for this game, and the one thing everyone can agree on is that he can play.

Unless the Bengals are attacked by the injury bug and come limping into the game a depleted team, this isn’t going to be a cakewalk. In fact, there is every chance that Cincy needs this game to make the playoffs, because they sure aren’t going to be winning the division. (I have them 8-8 at this point of the season, because I think they might lose to the Jets opening week on the road.)

This could be a game that means more to them.

On the other hand, you know we would love to knock them out of the playoffs. These conference games are always tough, there is no question about it, and the bad blood between us and the Bengals is thick as can be right now.

For much of the Nation, the Bengals have become the most hated team in the division, ahead of the Ravens. (Not in my book, just sayin’.)

This game could go either way; however, since I’m operating under the assumption that we are healthy, and at this point in the season we might have both Dupree and Golson on the 53, and maybe, just maybe, a contributing Justin Gilbert, I think we sweep the Bengals, and send Cincy packing as we sit atop the division with a gaudy 12- 2 record.

If this team wants to make a statement that they are the favorites for the Super Bowl, this would be the game to do it (and maybe the next one as well.)

Steelers vs. Ravens – Sunday December 25^th 4:30 PM

If we come out of the Bengals game healthy (if Burfict is playing there is no guarantee of that) and assume we are, then we will be at full strength facing a team that beat us earlier in the year (maybe.)

I always thought we would split these two games, and I’m not going to change my mind now.

Yes, it bothers me that the Ravens swept us last year, and that we’ve lost the last 5 of the last 6 games we’ve played against them. There is a legitimate argument to be made that the Ravens have gotten in our heads. I am not sure I agree with that argument: for the most part, these tend to be close games. Sometimes the ball bounces funny, and not in our favor.

I don’t think that will be a problem here.

Unlike the first game in Baltimore, if we are at full strength with a fresh Dupree and Golson, and a Justin Gilbert that is providing something, I think we could very well see one of the rare blow outs in this series. It’s Christmas Day, which means it’s going to be one of a handful of nationally broadcast games, and Ben loves those kind of games. This is a scenario where I can see Ben setting records.

Coates and Rogers will have had a whole season to generate chemistry with Ben, and the defense will have had time to find its identity. Yes, you could say the same about the Ravens, but the simple fact is that we are more talented than the Ravens. We have more weapons, and we have better players in almost every single phase.

It’s only September, and a lot can change, but I think there is a chance that we see Ben hit 500 yards passing and throw for 5 or 6 touchdowns. AB is going to be looking to break records himself, and he’s not going to want to slow down either.

I don’t think the offense should slow down. Pedal to the metal!

We win this game, handily I think, and wait for Cleveland sitting at 13-2.

Steelers vs. Browns – Sunday January 1^st 1:00 PM

Tomlin has never been one to sit starters. He doesn’t “live in his fears.” Be that as it may, if this game means nothing, and the starters play more than a few series, I’ll be shocked. I honestly think that the difference between 13-3 and 13-2 is going to mean absolutely nothing, and we will still run the AFC.

Let me put some stuff out of the way first. If this game means something; if we need it and our starters play – we win. So let’s not pretend that I think anything other than that.

However, now is the time when it’s important to look at where the other teams are; who might be pushing us for the top spot in the AFC. I expect those teams to be the Patriots, Broncos and Texans.

The Patriots are the iffy team here, because without baby boy Brady for 4 games, there is certainly a chance they start 0-4. I doubt it, because even a blind dog finds a bone every now and then, so I’m going to say they start 1-3 (probably beating the Bills.) That would mean after they lose to us, they will have 4 losses, and when they lose to the Seahawks (maybe) that will be 5.

I expect them to be at 11-5, so they won’t matter.

The Broncos are not going to be as good as last year: I think they lose the Thursday night opener against the Panthers.

I think they could lose to the Texans, and will lose at least once to the Chiefs and Raiders (yes, the Raiders.) I think they lose to the Patriots, and that brings their loss total to 5, so I’m looking at them as an 11-5 team as well.

Lastly, the Texans, who have one heck of a defense.

No, I don’t believe in Brock. I’m not even sure he’ll be the starter throughout the season, but if Clowney stays healthy, these guys have a scary defense.

I think that they will lose once to the Colts, and because they play in Denver, I think they lose that game. I think they lost at the Packers, and because the Bengals will be playing for their lives after losing to us, I think they lose to the Bengals. That brings the Texans record to a very nifty 12-4.

If everything falls that way, and we are 13-2 going into this game, I think that we will play our starters some, and Landry Jones will see (hopefully) his first action of the year.

If that’s the case, this game could go either way.

If Landry is playing with a full second string, well, who knows?

I still think we win, and end the season 14-2 and in first place in the AFC, as well as laying our rightful claim to the AFC North crown.

Conclusion

So there you have it. I’m not going to waste a lot of time and energy doing a postseason version, because frankly there are too many variables. There is no team (at this point in the season) that scares me, so let’s just say that if we stay healthy (I know, I know) I think it’s safe to start singing:

“I… got a feelin! Pittsburgh’s going to the Super Bowl!”

Stairway to Seven baby!

Until next time Nation!

This article was originally published on Black ‘n’ Gold ‘Til I’m Dead and Cold