Expanded playoffs would have helped Steelers

500 overall and with locks.

With so many teams already packing it in for the season, and others like the Indianapolis Colts forced to start a quarterback they picked up off the street this week, betting Week 17 games, like pre-season wagering, screams "problem gambler". Now they can refocus their energy for the playoffs. All of the long suffering Jets fans deserve it.

- Win: First-round bye as AFC's No. 2 seed if Denver loses or ties.

Jets (-3) at Bills: New York can clinch a playoff berth with a victory over the Bills or a Steelers loss to the Browns.

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants (-5): This season has been incredibly frustrating for Eagles fans. Neither ended up hurting the Steelers but both are a little disturbing for a guy who hasn't been very good in big games lately. If the Broncos beat the Chargers and the New England Patriots lose to the Miami Dolphins, then Denver gains home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They can still not win it and make it if the Pittsburgh Steelers lose theirs. Drew Brees will play and it should be very close.

The Jets were 8-5 but lost their last three games of the season, including an embarrassing defeat against the Oilers in the regular-season finale. I'm still not sold on the Texans being any better than an average team. They could also play inspired football knowing that the tyrant that was Chip Kelly is no longer with the team. It sounds like Washington's starters might get some limited playing time, however.

A Chiefs loss against the Raiders would put them as either the fifth or sixth seed. Lay the points with the Steelers.

While there's still plenty of shuffling to be done, only one playoff position is truly on the line this week. All three of his single-game highs have actually come this season with a career-best 20 targets against the Dallas Cowboys back in September. That will have recentered them for their regular season finale.

The Browns are due for a Shawshank Redemption style shower scene in this one, regardless of what happens in the Jets - Bills game.

While the NFC teams are set, the seeding is not and the two games at Lambeau Field and University of Phoenix Stadium will determine how half of the NFC playoff field shakes out. They've struggled three of the last four weeks, losing last week and winning two other games by just a field goal, but they beat the Bucs easily by two touchdowns earlier this season in Tampa.

The Lions were the last team in the league to win, starting off 0-5. Over the course of their current winning streak, the Chiefs are yielding an average of 11 points in five home dates. Despite this I like the Raiders. The Chiefs already are in the postseason, the Raiders try to match their best record since making the Super Bowl after the 2002 season.

For the Texans (8-7), it's pretty easy - beat the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10) and win the AFC South. Should the Jags spring the upset, the Colts (7-8) could sneak in, but they need a lot of help with a myriad of things that must go their way.

Patriots (-10) at Dolphins: I don't think there is any doubt the Pats will win this game. The rest of the format would remain the same, with No. 3 playing No. 6 and No. 4 playing No. 5.

Tomsula took over a rough situation with the Niners, so he might survive such a poor record considering all the retirements, defections, injuries and regression by QB Colin Kaepernick.

- Lose: miss playoffs if Pittsburgh wins, or make playoffs as No. 6 wild-card seed if Pittsburgh loses. They didn't. Now, the Steelers need to win and have the Jets lose in order to make the playoffs. Either way, nearly a full touchdown is too many points to give a good Seahawks team that is 5-1 straight up and against the spread in their last six games. Players wonder what they did to get here, how their fate might have been different and how the future still might be filled with heavenly bliss. I'm taking the Colts, though. The stakes are simple, win this game, win the NFC North, and get a home game in the first round of the playoffs. Even if the Patriots lose, they can still secure the top seed with a loss by the Broncos or Bengals.

AFC & NFC wild-card rounds: No. 6 at No. 3, No. 5 at No. 4.

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