In case anybody wanted a reminder, Aaron Rodgers—the 41-year-old Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, vet of 21 seasons, four-time NFL MVP and future Corridor of Famer—attended his press convention after the Steelers’ 23-9 win over the Browns on Sunday whereas sporting a black baseball cap with the next phrases emblazoned on the facet: NOT MY FIRST RODEO.
So when he was requested about whether or not he believed his group is trending towards being a contender within the AFC, Rodgers’ phrases carried additional weight.
“Properly, that is the place we wish to be, and we’re placing ourselves into place to begin coming into the dialog,” he mentioned. “However loads can occur.”
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SportsLine’s Contained in the Strains group and Projection Mannequin agree with Rodgers that it is time to begin taking Pittsburgh significantly within the AFC. The Steelers (4-1) already lead the AFC North by 2.5 video games over the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) and might improve their lead with a victory over the Bengals on Thursday evening at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The injury-ravaged Ravens and Browns sit on the backside of the division at 1-5 every.
In keeping with the projection mannequin, no group within the AFC has a greater likelihood to win its division than the Steelers (87.8%). Solely the Buccaneers of the NFC South have a greater likelihood in the whole league, at 93.5%. Solely the Payments (22.4%) have a greater likelihood of profitable the AFC than Pittsburgh (16.5%) in accordance with the mannequin.
The numbers are extra exceptional when you think about the mannequin initiatives the Steelers to complete with simply the third-best file within the convention behind each Colts (5-1) and Payments (4-2).
| AFC group | Projected wins | Win division | Attain playoffs | Win AFC | Win Tremendous Bowl |
| Colts | 11.4 | 71.1% | 93.2% | 15.3% | 6.3% |
| Payments | 11.2 | 68.1% | 91.7% | 22.4% | 11.7% |
| Steelers | 10.7 | 87.8% | 92.5% | 16.5% | 7.4% |
| Broncos | 10.7 | 37.5% | 81.8% | 12.9% | 6.7% |
| Chiefs | 10.3 | 34.4% | 76.4% | 15.7% | 8.7% |
| Patriots | 9.8 | 31.6% | 65.5% | 3.1% | 0.9% |
| Chargers | 9.8 | 28.0% | 70.7% | 5.9% | 2.5% |
| Jaguars | 9.4 | 19.6% | 56.7% | 2.7% | 1.0% |
| Texans | 8.7 | 9.3% | 44.3% | 3.8% | 1.8% |
So for the Thursday Night time Soccer recreation in opposition to Cincinnati, preserving tempo with Buffalo and Indianapolis can be what’s on the road for Rodgers &. Co. The Payments have a better remaining energy of scheduled than Pittsburgh down the stretch, whereas the Colts have the benefit of an additional win and a bye week remaining over the Steelers.
Pittsburgh enters Thursday’s recreation on a three-game profitable streak, whereas the Bengals have dropped 4 in a row since shedding beginning quarterback Joe Burrow indefinitely attributable to a turf toe harm. Protection has led the Steelers throughout their scorching stretch. During the last three video games, they’ve allowed simply 14.7 factors per recreation whereas forcing seven turnovers and registering 17 sacks. Pittsburgh has sacked the quarterback no less than 5 occasions in three straight video games and in Sunday’s win over Cleveland, the Steelers hit Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel 16 occasions, the second most by any NFL group in a recreation this season.
The protection has compelled 10 turnovers this 12 months, which is tied for third most within the NFL. That is dangerous information for a Cincinnati group that has turned the ball over 11 occasions, which is tied for probably the most within the league.
The Steelers are 5.5-point favorites over the Bengals.
However Thursday video games on the highway have not been pleasant to Pittsburgh. The Steelers have misplaced eight of their final 9 Thursday highway video games underneath coach Mike Tomlin, together with 4 in row.
Given the roll Pittsburgh is on, that development appears to be in jeopardy.
“Thursday is all concerning the league and being profitable, and we perceive that,” Rodgers mentioned. “It was simply Thanksgiving Thursdays, and so they added clearly Thursday video games. After which Amazon coming in with a pleasant chunk of change. So we all know what it is all about. However it’s the identical; everyone’s received no less than one in every of these, so we simply suck it up. We go on the highway and maintain enterprise, and we get a little bit break.”
Nobody would know higher than Rodgers.
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