Pittsburgh takes little for granted

PITTSBURGH – When the Pittsburgh Steelers were 9-2 three years ago, they had all but wrapped up their division and were closing in on home-field advantage for the playoffs.

Now, they’re 10-1, yet they’re not assured of getting a bye for the first round of the playoffs.

One or two slip-ups – and there are numerous such possibilities remaining on their schedule – and they might be looking at having to play two playoff games just to get to the AFC championship game.

Coach Bill Cowher said the AFC is full of teams with great records.

“It’s amazing to be sitting here with some of the records we’re sitting with,” he said Tuesday. “New England’s talking about not having any margin for error, and that’s the truth.”

While the Steelers and Patriots (10-1) lead the AFC, the Colts (8-3), Jets (8-3) and Chargers (8-3) aren’t far behind. The Ravens (7-4) and Broncos (7-4) are next.

That’s one reason why the Steelers’ game Sunday night at Jacksonville (6-5) is taking on even more urgency than usual for a Week 12 game, for both teams.

The Steelers realize they must keep winning to retain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and avoid a possible trip to New England for the AFC championship game, should both teams get there. With so many teams ahead of them, the Jaguars (6-5) probably must win to realistically remain in playoff contention.

It’s no wonder Cowher wasn’t all that thrilled to hear the Jaguars are planning a 10th anniversary celebration that could create more of a big-game atmosphere.

“Great,” he said.

The Steelers had better get used to it, because each of their remaining five games figures to take on importance as long as they and the Patriots keep winning.

Also left to play are the Jets, New York Giants (5-6), Ravens and Buffalo Bills (5-6), with the Jaguars, Giants and Bills on the road.

“This time of the year usually is when the picture becomes a little clearer,” Cowher said. “I don’t know if it’s much clearer in our situation. Five teams are within two games and that in itself makes the magnitude of each game that much more significant.”

The Steelers should be healthier than they have been in weeks, with running back Duce Staley and wide receiver Plaxico Burress both likely to play. Staley sat out four games with a sore hamstring and Burress missed Sunday’s 16-7 victory over Washington with the same injury.

What Cowher doesn’t expect is for Staley to match backup Jerome Bettis’ 30-carries-a-game pace of the last four weeks, if only because he has both big backs.

“We’ve got to be a little smarter than that, so I think they both will be utilized,” Cowher said.

Despite Bettis’ four consecutive 100-yard games, the Steelers’ offense has been slumping, with a combined four touchdowns against the losing-record Browns, Bengals and Redskins.

Rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s numbers have dropped off – 269 yards and only one touchdown pass while being sacked 11 times the last two games.

Roethlisberger is not making a lot of mistakes, with only one fumble and one interception in those two games, but he’s also not making as many big plays.

“We have to do a better job in terms of throwing the football,” Cowher said.

That doesn’t mean Cowher is hopping off the Big Ben bandwagon.

“I think it would be very, very unfair to put it on Ben,” Cowher said. “It’s really been a lot of things. A couple of times we had bad calls against what they blitzed us with. … For the most part, he’s done a pretty good job of eluding pressure and trying to make some plays.”