Mike Tomlin has already clinched his 19th consecutive winning season, an all-time record for a coach to have never suffered a losing mark. If the Green Bay Packers would have beaten the Baltimore Ravens last night, he also would have clinched the AFC North Division title. But, with the Ravens win, to clinch the title the Steelers either have to win today over the Cleveland Browns or next week in a head-to-head meeting with the Ravens.
To avoid that challenge of having to beat Baltimore next Sunday, you would think the easiest path for the Steelers to the division title would be to down the Browns on the road today.
Seems easy … but it’s not.
Here is the formula for late in a season. When a team that needs a win to advance to the postseason is playing a team already in the playoffs they win. Like the Houston Texans did yesterday in Los Angeles. But, when a team needs a win to clinch a playoff berth they historically have trouble against a team that has already been eliminated from postseason competition.
That is what tripped up the Detroit Lions on Christmas, eliminated from the playoffs by a Minnesota Vikings team already out of the running for a playoff spot.
Now, sometimes, we have a matchup where the apparent discrepancy between the two teams makes it most difficult to not expect the team that needs the game to just go out and get it. Like many assume the Steelers will today in Cleveland.
Those are the biggest traps of all.
The Cleveland Browns can lay it all on the line with only the opportunity to dash the hopes of one of their most hated division rivals. And the Steelers have all the pressure to beat their overmatched opponent. What normally happens in these games is the favorite is frustrated, and the underdog has the time of their life interrupting their playoff plans.
If I was smarter, I might know why this so consistently happens.
But I’m only smart enough to know it does.
On Sunday, we are going to have some upsets that the pregame shows on the networks are assuming can’t happen. One of them is in Cleveland, where we expect the Browns to win and in lieu of that collect the money with more than a field goal on the point spread.
Qoxhi Picks: Cleveland Browns (+3½) over Pittsburgh Steelers