PITTSBURGH (AP) -The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t escape their schedule. They’ve known since it was released last spring that it might be the NFL’s toughest, and they didn’t complain then.
Their closing stretch is about as difficult as it can get – but they realize whining or grumbling won’t get them through it.
What will help? Playing better than they did as the season wound down last year.
The Steelers (8-3) own a one-game lead over Baltimore (7-4) in the AFC North as they begin a month’s worth of games against division-leading or contending teams: the Patriots (7-4) on Sunday, followed by the Cowboys (7-4), Ravens and Titans (10-1). The four are a combined 31-13, and only the Dallas game is in Pittsburgh.
, plus the Ravens in the first of their two games.
“The stretch of games we’ve got, they’re all going to be playoff atmosphere games,” wide receiver Hines Ward said. “Every team we play has the opportunity to make the playoffs this year and you might end up seeing those teams again.”
For comparison’s sake, the contending Colts’ next four opponents are a combined 9-34-1 and include what may be the NFL’s two worst teams in the Lions (0-11) and Bengals. That’s important from the Steelers’ perspective because the Colts trail them by a game in the overall AFC standings, but own a tiebreaker after winning in Pittsburgh 24-20 on Nov. 9.
“Now you’re getting down to it, teams are starting to separate, you’re starting to get a clear picture of who’s going to make the playoffs and who isn’t,” defensive end Aaron Smith said. “We’ve got a chance to get there ourselves so, if you’re not excited, there’s something wrong with you.”
Evaluating the schedule in April can be misleading because teams that were good a year ago sometimes don’t match those seasons; the Chargers (11-5 in 2007) and Browns (10-6 a year ago) are prime examples.
them 15-6.
The Steelers made the playoffs a year ago but didn’t coast into them, losing three of their final four regular season games. Those losses cost them a first-round bye and forced them to play a wild-card game they lost at home to Jacksonville 31-29.
Injuries hurt the Steelers then and could be a factor again, with running back Willie Parker (knee) hurting, left tackle Marvel Smith (back) sidelined indefinitely and defensive end Brett Keisel (knee) likely out the next three weeks.
“Hopefully we can be a team on the rise,” tight end Heath Miller said. “I felt like last year we really weren’t playing our best ball this time of the year. You want to try to be a team that gets on a run in December into the playoffs.”
Last season, the Steelers were 9-3 before losing to the Patriots 34-13 in a game remembered for safety Anthony Smith’s guarantee of a Pittsburgh victory.
That loss triggered a slide in which Jacksonville became the first team to win twice in a season in Pittsburgh – in December during the regular season, then again in January – and the Steelers lost four of their final five overall.
“It’s going to be big this week, but it is every week,” safety Ryan Clark said of playing at New England. “I think more is being made of it this week because this is the week it all started last year. But that’s last year.”
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