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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) tries to get past Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in Seattle.
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Ron Cook: Steelers have a chance to pull off the improbable after looking lost just 2 weeks ago

Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press

Ron Cook: Steelers have a chance to pull off the improbable after looking lost just 2 weeks ago

SEATTLE — Road win in one of the NFL’s most difficult venues? Check.

A 17th consecutive season for Mike Tomlin without a losing record? Check.

Thirty points in consecutive wins for the first time since early in the 2020 season? Check.

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The Steelers got a lot done on Sunday with their 30-23 win against the Seattle Seahawks, just their second win in nine tries here. There was no shortage of offensive contributors — from Mason Rudolph, who was solid again in his second start in a row, to running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, who powered for a combined 197 rushing yards and three touchdowns, to the offensive line, which, in Tomlin’s words, “provided the wave that we rode.”

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But the day wasn’t quite perfect for the Steelers because of Buffalo’s win against New England and Jacksonville’s win against Carolina. The Steelers still will need help next weekend to make the playoffs even if they beat the Ravens in Baltimore in their final game. They need Buffalo to lose at Miami or Jacksonville to lose at Tennessee. The Bills are early 2-point favoritea against the Dolphins, the Jaguars 3.5-point favoritea against the Titans.

The Steelers could finish 10-7 and still miss the postseason for the fourth time in six years.

“I’m a glass-half-full type of guy,” Cam Heyward said. “We’re not going to throw a party if we do get in the playoffs. We feel like we belong.”

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It will be a shame if it turns out to be too little, too late for the Steelers. They have played their best football of the season the past two weeks, beating Cincinnati at home 34-11 before dominating a desperate Seattle team that is in its own fierce battle for a playoff spot.

“We didn’t blink,” Tomlin said. “A lot of plays made by a lot of people. It was the really-needed component of it. Smiling in the face of adversity, being our best selves in the most critical circumstances — this is what we desire to be. I think the guys displayed that.

“If you’re a competitor, you’re going to be at your best.”

The Steelers’ resurgence after four losses in five games, including two to a pair of 2-10 teams at the time, Arizona and New England, coincides with Rudolph taking over at quarterback. He was on point again against the Seahawks, completing 18 of 24 passes for 274 yards without an interception. He finished with a 112.2 passer rating after putting up 124.0 against the Bengals.

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“He provides a spark,” Warren said. “He does his thing. He doesn’t hesitate. He puts the ball where it’s supposed to be.”

Harris ran “determined” — Tomlin’s word — on his way to 122 yards and two touchdowns. So did Warren, who added 75 yards and a touchdown. The two backs averaged 4.93 yards on their 40 carries.

“We were committed to running the football,” Tomlin said. “We thought it was the purest way to conquer the environment.”

Tomlin mentioned the offensive line first in his postgame press briefing. That unit, which has been widely criticized, didn’t just open running lanes for Harris and Warren. It also limited the Seahawks to one sack of Rudolph and enabled the Steelers to hold a 37:33-22:27 edge in possession time.

“We talked all week about trying to conquer the environment and winning the line of scrimmage being a major component of it,” Tomlin said. “They embraced that challenge. I thought they kind of controlled the climate, made third downs manageable ones, minimized possession downs, minimized the crowd component of it. Thankful for that.”

No one appreciated the big fellas’ work more than Rudolph.

“It was just impressive to watch from my vantage point back there and see those guys push off,” he said. “They carried us to the finish line. They did terrific.”

The Steelers will face a much better defense when they play the Ravens than they did against the Bengals and Seahawks. The Ravens are allowing just 16.4 points a game, fewest in the NFL.

But Baltimore clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed by blowing out Miami 56-19 on Sunday. The Steelers could catch a break if Ravens coach John Harbaugh decides to rest his top players, including presumptive NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

“All we can do is win the games that we’re in,” Tomlin said. “You can’t spend a bunch of time scoreboard watching. We’ve got to beat the people that we play.”

The final words are from Heyward, who is 34 and desperate to get back to the playoffs:

“We’ll see what we can do. I believe in the guys in the locker room. I think we have the guys to do it.

“Two weeks ago, you could say we were miles away. But we’ve got an opportunity. We’ve got an opportunity.”

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com and Twitter@RonCookPG. Ron Cook can be heard on the “Cook and Joe” show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.

First Published: January 1, 2024, 10:30 a.m.

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