The Steelers’ loss on Sunday to the Buffalo Bills looked bad on the field. Its effect on the Steelers’ chances of making the playoffs could be just as bad.

Suddenly, the Steelers are on the outside looking in. If the season ended today, the Ravens would make the playoffs as the AFC North winner, claiming the tiebreaker with a better record against common opponents. Both teams are 6-6 overall.

The first tiebreaker is head-to-head record (the teams have yet to play each other). The second is division record (both are 2-1 within the division). The Ravens are 5-2 against common opponents, and the Steelers are 4-3.

Not to be forgotten is Cincinnati, which beat Baltimore on Thanksgiving in the return of quarterback Joe Burrow from injury. At 4-8, the Bengals look dangerous at two games back w

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