The Steelers won't rush the field after beating the Colts without Andrew Luck in a 28-7 cruise-control victory for Pittsburgh. But they know how huge this game was for the franchise, scrambling to make the playoffs after enduring a midseason four-game losing streak.
It was huge: win in Indy when you get gifted a matchup against Scott Tolzien and you're in great shape to win the sluggish AFC North, especially with another game against the Browns on the docket.
Pittsburgh has a substantially easier schedule down the stretch than the Ravens do, which means it wouldn't be shocking to see Ben Roethlisberger work his way into the playoffs. He's back on track with Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, both of whom looked tremendous on Thursday night.
There's a reason this team was favored to win the division before the week even began, despite not being in first.
Baltimore still has the head-to-head tiebreaker over Pittsburgh, so they'd slide right back in front with a win against Cincy this weekend. For now, though, the Steelers are sending a reminder why so many people picked them to spend some time in Houston in early February.
Thanksgiving Games
Here's how the playoff picture looks following Thursday's games:
Who's In?
Steelers: Pittsburgh has a half-game lead over the Ravens courtesy of their early-week win over the Colts. The Steelers are the favorite to win the division in Las Vegas, but a Ravens win over the Bengals on Sunday would put Baltimore back on top of the division by virtue of Baltimore's head-to-head tiebreaker over Pittsburgh (the second result pending).
Who's Out?
Ravens: The Ravens dip out because they haven't had a chance to play yet. Their schedule is a lot tougher than Pittsburgh, making this week's game a must-win situation against the banged-up Bengals.
Who's Up?
Only Pittsburgh moved up as a result of their win over the Colts.
Who's Down?
Colts: Indy is now No. 10 in the AFC overall (see: below) and not in a great spot when it comes to the AFC South race, although they are just one game back of the Texans.
Bills: Buffalo dips a spot because they lose the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Ravens, who fall to No. 8 and push the Bills to No. 9.
Who's Eliminated?
Only the Browns are eliminated from the playoffs after the Thanksgiving games.
Full Standings
Check out the full standings and playoff picture here.
