Nov 10, 2014 4 min read

Ten weeks into the season, every team in the AFC North sits at least two games over .500.

And given how things have gone for those teams, it appears they all have a shot at finishing the season with winning records.

If that happens, it will be the first time since 1935, when the Western Division accomplished the feat, that an entire division finished two or more games over .500.

But having an entire division on pace to finish with winning records comes with a cost. At best, just three of the four teams can make the playoffs, one as the champion and two as wild cards.

Last season, the Steelers nearly snuck into the playoffs at 8-8. With 11 of the 16 teams in the AFC currently with winning records, it’s unlikely a .500 record is going to be good enough to reach the postseason.

That’s why so many of the Steelers were more than a little upset with themselves for turning the ball over four times and playing sloppily in a 20-13 loss Sunday to the New York Jets to fall to 6-4.

“This stings, but there are still games left,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who managed just one touchdown pass in the closing minutes after throwing 14 during the last three games.

The Steelers knew they had allowed an opportunity to slip away against the Jets (2-8).

“We came in high and mighty, and a team came in and played better than us,” said wide receiver Lance Moore.

The Steelers have lost seven games against teams with losing records since 2012, including a defeat at home earlier this year to the then-winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

They will get another shot at a team with a losing record when they play at Tennessee (2-7) Monday night.

The Steelers are just 2-3 in road games and need to find a way to get their running game established again. Pittsburgh has been held less than 76 rushing yards in three of its past four games, and Le’Von Bell has just 56 yards over the past two games, including 36 on 11 carries against the Jets.

Bell caught 13 passes for 71 yards in those games, the only times he’s been held to fewer than 100 total yards.

“I just go out there and do what I can with the opportunities given to me,” Bell said. “I have been used a lot in the passing game, so I guess that substitutes the carries. I still get the touches. We were playing catch up so we couldn’t run the ball as much.”

The trick, it would seem, would be to not fall behind by 17 points in the first quarter as the Steelers did against the Jets.

“You have to seize every opportunity in this business,” said defensive end Brett Keisel. “Everyone talks about a team’s record, but the bottom line is they have a lot of good football players over there and that’s how it usually is every week. Everyone has a good team. They might not be putting it together.

“Everyone is upset, everyone is frustrated, but there are still six games left. We’re still in the mix of this thing and we still have to come out and finish this thing.”