Can the Steelers Run the Table and Win the AFC North?

Having lost to the Cincinnati Bengals twice this year, winning the AFC North is going to be a tall task for the defending Super Bowl champions. With six games left to play, the Steelers are going to need help to complete that task.

First, the Bengals will have to lose two games more than the Steelers in order for the Steelers to over take them for the crown.

Bengals' remaining games

Cleveland Browns

Even though the Browns took the Bengals to the last seconds of overtime before losing to them in week four, that more than likely will not happen again. Cincinnati is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Oakland Raiders and will probably pound the Browns.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are a joke of a team that the Bengals should easily beat. With only two victories in the last year and a half, this should be a cakewalk for the Bengals unless they are looking ahead to the Vikings.

@ Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota is the most complete team left on the Bengals' schedule. They post a staunch defense and two offensive weapons, Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson, that will be too much for the Bengals to handle.

@ San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have come alive and have now taken the AFC West lead. The Chargers will need this game for playoff positioning, and Cincy has proven they are not that good when they travel across the country.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs were lucky against the Steelers, and the Bengals will probably need this game after losing to the Vikings and Chargers.

@ New York Jets

The Jets are a decent team, but they are having normal problems for a team that has a rookie quarterback. They will not be able to stop the Cincinnati attack.

I look at the Bengals going 4-2 for the rest of the year, with a final record of 11-5.

That means for the Steelers to win the AFC North, they will have to end the season with a 12-4 record. The Steelers currently have four losses, so they will have to win the rest of their regular season games if they hope to pass the Bengals.

@ Baltimore Ravens

It is uncertain that Ben Roethlisberger will play against the Ravens, and Troy Polamalu is out. The Ravens will be playing without Terrell Suggs, so the pass rush will not be as devastating as it would be, and if Dennis Dixon can play as the Steelers hope, they can overcome the Ravens.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders had a stroke of luck against the Bengals, but they were at home, and the Steelers will be playing with urgency.

@ Cleveland Browns

The Browns already lost to the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and by losing to the Lions, the Browns are on pace to be the worst team in the NFL.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers have taken many hits to their defense with Aaron Kampman and Al Harris being placed on IR. Green Bay probably could not have defeated the Steelers with them, so they shouldn't be able to without them.

Baltimore Ravens

Two days after Christmas, the Steelers host the Ravens, and both teams should be back to full strength by that point. Look for the Steelers to end the Ravens' season, knocking them out of the playoff hunt.

@ Miami Dolphins

The biggest strength of the Dolphins was their wildcat offense, but without Ronnie Brown, the Fins just do not match up with the Steelers.

Not saying that the six games that the Steelers play are going to be easy, but the Steelers, if they can fix their special team woes, have a very realistic shot at running the table, forcing the Bengals to lose no more than one game.

If the Steelers can do that, then the AFC North crown could very well be theirs. The Bengals will have the pressure on them to not let the Steelers catch them. If the Bengals do so, they await a possible rematch with the Steelers come playoff time.