Steelers need Williams to heal quickly

The Texans would claim the AFC South title and a first playoff spot since 2012 with a Week 17 win and they made short work of the Jaguars in Houston.

If Williams is unable to suit up for Sunday’s AFC wild-card game in Cincinnati, the Steelers will likely turn to Fitzgerald Toussaint to fill the void after he replaced Williams in Cleveland.

A Cleveland Browns fan holds up a New Year’s wish list during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Cleveland. However, Cincinnati can not pass New England in the playoff standings due to the Pats owning more tie-breakers over the Bengals, even though the two teams have not faced each other this season.

Leading comfortably in the closing minutes, Roethlisberger heard the crowd roar.

“Thanks to Coach Ryan and the rest of the Bills and everybody in Buffalo”, Roethlisberger said.

Something that – when Pittsburgh can get out of its own way – makes the Steelers as unsafe as any team in the AFC.

Pittsburgh’s bumpy season – the Steelers overcame suspensions, injuries and the shocking loss to the Ravens – will continue with at least one more game.

The Steelers’ offense took on more water along the shores of Lake Erie, losing running back DeAngelo Williams and wide receiver Martavis Bryant to injury in the regular-season finale against the Browns.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Williams is “day to day” after injuring his right leg in last weekend’s victory over Cleveland. “We’re where we need to be”.

The Browns’ 3-13 record is their worst since 2000 when they were also 3-13.

The concept serves two purposes: it keeps backups engaged during practice while also allowing the starters (a nominal label at this point in the season) a needed breather.

Williams didn’t have a huge game against the Bengals last month but was effective, rushing for 76 yards and two scores and caught two passes for 15 yards.

“It should be a topic of speculation, given what our results have been”, Pettine told reporters.

The Steelers sacked the Browns’ Austin Davis, starting in place of Johnny Manziel, seven times. Linebacker Arthur Moats recovered, and on the next play, Roethlisberger completed an 8-yard TD pass to Markus Wheaton.

All that was left was for the Bills to help out.

Again, the Steelers are facing the possibility of entering the postseason without their No. 1 running back. They hugged and high-fived on the sideline and thousands of Pittsburgh fans celebrated as the black-and-gold earned the right to play for the National Football League championship in the Super Bowl’s golden anniversary season. The Browns finished the season with only 18 touchdowns in 47 visits inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. “Sitting here as a Pittsburgh Steeler, that’s the expectation to make the playoffs and hoist the Lombardi Trophy”.

I’d say that’s a pretty great achievement, considering we have the likes of Revis, Sherman, Peterson, and Norman playing in the NFL.

The loss in Baltimore had severely damaged the Steelers’ playoff chances, but Roethlisberger made sure there wouldn’t be another costly misstep.

It’s simple, really. Roethlisberger is a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback with, perhaps, the NFL’s best wideout (Brown) at his disposal. Tomlin said Williams will be evaluated, and would not rule him out of the postseason.

Cleveland’s scoring for the day was capped as Coons nailed his fourth field goal of the day, another 29-yarder, inching the Browns as close as they would come, at 17-12.