With six Super Bowl wins, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the vital profitable franchises in NFL historical past. However regardless of all their success, there’s one factor they’ve by no means been in a position to pull off, which they’re going to have an opportunity to do in Week 7: Win a Thursday night time highway sport towards a divisional opponent.
The Steelers have performed a complete of eight divisional Thursday video games on the highway in franchise historical past, and so they’ve gone 0-8 in these video games, which incorporates going 0-6 beneath Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers had an opportunity to finish the streak final yr however ended up dropping a 24-19 shocker to the Cleveland Browns in a sport the place Pittsburgh was favored by 3.5 factors.
The Steelers may have an opportunity to finish their inexplicable dropping streak once they journey to Cincinnati to tackle the Bengals in a Thursday sport the place Pittsburgh is favored by 5.5 factors, per Caesars Sportsbook.
The streak began in 1980 with a loss to the Houston Oilers, and it is now been happening for 45 years.
|
Oilers (AFC Central) |
Oilers 6-0 |
Dec. 4, 1980 |
|
Jaguars (AFC Central) |
Jaguars 20-6 |
Dec. 2, 1999 |
|
Browns (AFC North) |
Browns 13- |
Dec. 10, 2009 |
|
Ravens (AFC North) |
Ravens 22-20 |
Nov. 28, 2013 |
|
Ravens (AFC North) |
Ravens 26-6 |
Sept. 11, 2014 |
|
Browns (AFC North) |
Browns 21-7 |
Nov. 14, 2019 |
|
Browns (AFC North) |
Browns 29-17 |
Sept. 22, 2022 |
|
Browns (AFC North) |
Browns 24-19 |
Nov. 21, 2024 |
That is 0-8 straight up and 1-7 towards the unfold.
This streak has been happening for therefore lengthy that the Steelers have performed two divisional video games towards opponents who aren’t even of their division anymore (Jaguars and Oilers/Titans).
It is not simply divisional video games, although, Thursday nights have typically been a nightmare for the Steelers. Because the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Steelers are 3-15 in Thursday highway video games, which is the worst successful proportion of any NFL team in that span.
Here is a take a look at the three groups which were the worst in Thursday highway video games since 1970 (by way of CBS Sports activities Analysis):
1. Steelers: 3-15 (.167)
2. Browns: 2-8 (.200)
3. Jets: 3-11 (.214)
The truth that the Browns and Jets are on that listing is no surprise to anybody, however seeing the Steelers lumped in there’s positively stunning. Total, the Steelers are 12-18 on Thursdays in franchise historical past.
Should you take a look at simply the video games performed since Tomlin was employed, the numbers do not get any higher. The Steelers coach is 2-9 on the highway in Thursday video games, together with 0-6 towards divisional opponents. Because the begin of the 2019 season, the Steelers are 1-5 on Thursday night time.
If anybody may also help the Steelers snap this streak, it is Aaron Rodgers. The four-time NFL MVP has gained 11 Thursday night time video games in his profession, which is the second-most in league historical past. (He has a Thursday file of 11-5.) The one QB with extra Thursday wins is Tom Brady, and Rodgers might tie him with a win over the Bengals.
It is nearly becoming that Rodgers might tie Brady as a result of he’ll be tying one other Brady mark as quickly as he takes the sector in Cincinnati. The matchup between Rodgers and Joe Flacco will mark simply the second pairing ever of two quarterbacks over the age of 40. The one different time it occurred got here in 2020 when Brady and Drew Brees performed one another 3 times whereas taking part in for the Buccaneers and Saints.
Brady additionally has probably the most wins of any QB ever towards the Steelers with 12, which is value noting as a result of Flacco is correct behind him. If the Bengals pull the upset, not solely will Pittsburgh’s nightmare dropping streak proceed, however Flacco will tie Brady for probably the most wins ever over the Steelers.
