Sunday in Cleveland isn’t just another divisional road game for the Pittsburgh Steelers — it’s a playoff swing game, and they’ll be playing it severely short-handed.
The Steelers enter Week 17 knowing exactly what’s at stake. Win, and they clinch the AFC North, likely locking in the No. 4 seed and a home playoff game at Acrisure Stadium. Lose, and everything gets pushed to a winner-take-all showdown with Baltimore in Week 18. The problem? Pittsburgh will be missing a large chunk of its core lineup while trying to close the deal.
On offense, the Steelers will be without DK Metcalf due to suspension, while Calvin Austin III (hamstring) and starting guard Isaac Seumalo are also out. Defensively, cornerbacks James Pierre (calf) and Brandin Echols (groin) are sidelined, along with franchise cornerstone TJ Watt, who remains out with a lung injury. That’s five starters and another heavy-rotation contributor missing in a game that could define the season.
This is about as clear a “next man up” situation as it gets.
Rebuilding the Passing Game on the Fly
Without Metcalf and Austin, the Steelers’ wide receiver room looks dramatically different — and dramatically less explosive. The burden now shifts to Adam Thielen, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Scotty Miller, and Ben Skowronek to create separation, win on the perimeter, and keep the chains moving.
The good news for Pittsburgh is that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has never been one to lock in on just one receiver — especially this late in his career. Rodgers has openly said he hasn’t had a true “go-to” wideout since Davante Adams was “damn near unguardable” from 2018–21. He’s going to throw to whoever is open, which means this could quietly become a volume day for multiple role players.
That also points toward increased involvement from tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith, who could become the safety valves over the middle. Kenneth Gainwell should continue to be a major factor out of the backfield, especially as a check-down option against Cleveland’s pass rush.
Patchwork Up Front
The loss of Seumalo is significant, particularly on the road against a Browns defensive front led by Myles Garrett. Spencer Anderson is expected to slide into the guard spot — a role he’s flirted with in creative packages where he’s lined up as a wing and even in the backfield. But this will be a different level of responsibility.
To protect Dylan Cook, who will make his third start at left tackle, Pittsburgh is expected to lean heavily on Darnell Washington as a sixth offensive lineman. Cleveland will test Cook relentlessly, and keeping Garrett from wrecking the game will be priority number one.
Defensive Domino Effect
Asante Samuel Jr. Has been solid in relief of James Pierre, but replacing Brandin Echols is a far trickier problem. Echols has quietly been one of the defense’s most reliable and versatile players — a true “Swiss Army knife” capable of covering the slot, playing outside, and making timely plays in space.
Without him, Pittsburgh is expected to mix and match Jalen Rams ey, Chuck Clark, and newly signed Tre Flowers in sub-packages. The challenge will be maintaining communication and leverage against Cleveland’s motion-heavy passing game — something that can unravel quickly when multiple defenders are being asked to play unfamiliar roles.
And looming over everything is the absence of TJ Watt. Without their defensive tone-setter, the Steelers lose not just sacks, but the constant pressure that changes protections, speeds up quarterbacks, and creates turnovers. That means the margin for error shrinks dramatically.
A Season-Defining Test
The Steelers still control their destiny. But this is no longer about star power — it’s about depth, execution, and mental toughness. Pittsburgh doesn’t need style points. They need just enough big plays, just enough stops, and just enough protection to survive.
This is the kind of game that reveals whether a team is truly playoff-ready or simply playoff-positioned.
And for the Steelers, it’s all on the line — with a division title, a home playoff game, and their season’s direction hanging in the balance.