With Patriots On Bye Week, Steelers Stun Jaguars To Maintain No. 2 Seed
BOSTON (CBS) – It was shaping up to be a good week for the idle New England Patriots. But the Pittsburgh Steelers had other plans.
Though they were enjoying their bye week, the Patriots were in position to slide up to the No. 2 slot in the AFC playoff picture.
Pittsburgh, which entered the week with a 6-2-1 record, fell into a 16-0 hole on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars. A Steelers loss would have allowed the 7-3 Patriots to move into position for a first round playoff bye with six games remaining.
Instead, Pittsburgh came storming back. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger dove into the end zone with five seconds left in the game, giving the Steelers a 20-16 victory.
The Houston Texans won their seventh game in a row, improving to 7-3 with a 23-21 victory over the Washington Redskins. Because the Patriots beat Houston in Week 1, New England currently has the tiebreaker and the Texans currently sit in the No. 4 spot.
A December 16 meeting between the Steelers and Patriots in Pittsburgh looms large for playoff positioning.