Season-ending injuries to Joe Burrow and Mark Andrews could impact AFC playoff race
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The AFC playoff picture is heating up, as the end of the NFL regular season is quickly approaching.
Heading into this week's slate of games, all four AFC North teams were in the race for the division, but a pair of season-ending injuries in Thursday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens may have changed things.
The race for the North was turned on its head when Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Ravens tight end Mark Andrews suffered season-ending injuries.
Burrow will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ligament in his right wrist. He suffered the injury late in the second quarter and will require surgery. The wrist injury is the second season-ending injury for Burrow in his four-year NFL career. He tore his ACL and MCL in 2020.
"I have a ton of confidence in myself," Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning, who will replace Burrow, said after the game. "I guess there is maybe more, but we lost, so it is kind of a weird thing. But I didn't feel like I was out of place."
Andrews hurt his ankle on the first drive of the game. The three-time Pro Bowler was injured after being tackled near the goal line.
"Mark Andrews has a very serious ankle injury. It looks like a season-ending injury," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after Thursday's game. "I think it's a form of a high ankle (injury), but more than just a sprain."
The injuries are significant for both teams. Burrow was rounding into form after dealing with a calf injury to start the season, while Andrews is tied for fifth in the NFL with six touchdown receptions.
What does it mean for the Steelers?
The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3, 2-0 AFC North) are in second place in the AFC North after Thursday's game. The Ravens (8-3, 3-2 AFC North) lead the division, while the Cleveland Browns (6-3, 2-2 AFC North) are right on the Steelers' heels. The Bengals (5-5, 0-3 AFC North) are in last place.
Pittsburgh and Cleveland face off on Sunday in a crucial Week 11 game. The Browns will be without starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is out for the season after fracturing his right shoulder last week. The team is turning to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the rest of the season.
In Week 12, the Steelers face Browning and the Bengals. The once-daunting-looking stretch of schedule has opened up for Pittsburgh, which can put itself in prime playoff position with a pair of wins.
Pittsburgh faces Cincinnati again in Week 16 before closing the regular season in Week 18 against the Ravens.
Steelers playoff odds
The black and gold are currently in fifth place in the AFC, trailing only the Kansas City Chiefs, Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins.
According to data from ESPN Analytics, the Steelers have a 66 percent chance of making the playoffs, the sixth-highest odds in the conference. ESPN's odds give Pittsburgh at 19 percent of winning the division. The Ravens are the clubhouse leaders to take the AFC North at 64 percent, according to ESPN.
ESPN Analytics has quantified how big Sunday's Steelers-Browns game is for the playoff race. With a win, the Steelers' playoff odds improve to 82 percent, with a loss dragging their playoff odds down to 53 percent.
The Bengals have a 10 percent chance of making the playoffs after Burrow's injury. Cleveland has a 73 percent chance of making the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Steelers' remaining schedule
The team's remaining regular-season games can be found below.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 19, at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 26, at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 3, vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m.
Week 14: Thursday, Dec. 7, vs. New England Patriots, 8:15 p.m.
Week 15: Date/Time TBD, at Indianapolis Colts
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 23, vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 4:30 p.m.
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m.
Week 18: Date/Time TBD, at Baltimore Ravens
