Steelers puzzled; Niners find edge

The Pittsburgh Steelers don't yet know how much their inexplicable loss to the Houston Texans will cost them in playoff seeding. The final bill of sale won't arrive until Dec. 29.
This much is certain -- the Steelers now have to focus on what the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens do.
And Coach Bill Cowher needs to focus on why his offense couldn't score points against the Texans' weak defense and wonder if they can win home games against the Carolina Panthers and Ravens.
Over on the left coast, the San Francisco 49ers are in better shape with a home playoff game secured.
The Niners' 31-27 win last Sunday over Texas' other team has given 49ers coach Steve Mariucci a little bit of luxury as the final three weekends of the NFL season approach.
Will know more Sunday
By clinching the NFC West Division title after just 13 games and by next playing the Green Bay Packers for home-field advantage, the banged-up Niners will know by Sunday evening just how meaningful their final two games will be.
Right now, the 49ers are 9-4 and trail the other three NFC division leaders: Green Bay (10-3) in the North, Tampa Bay (10-3) in the South and Philadelphia (10-3) in the East.
If the 49ers defeat Green Bay, they'll match the Packers in record and own the tiebreaker. Assuming the Eagles and Buccaneers win Sunday, those teams would take the lead in the race for the conference's two byes.
But if the Packers win and the Niners fall two games behind the division leaders, San Francisco's only hope for a playoff bye would be if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose twice in the final two weeks.
San Francisco closes the season with road trips to Arizona (Dec. 21) and St. Louis (Dec. 30). If the Niners fall two games behind the NFC leaders and moving up from the fourth seed is unlikely, Mariucci says he will have an edge in deciding whether to play anyone nursing injuries.
"The Rams game may not mean anything," said Mariucci of the league's Monday finale. "We'll know going into the game whether we are still playing for a home-field edge because all the other games will be over.
"And because it might be a short week until our playoff game, we'll know the exact importance before the game, which will allow me some discretion on who to play and who to sit in order to get healthy. Certainly, the health of our team could play a key role."
Mom, the scout
Although the 49ers were on a plane home to San Francisco last Sunday while the Packers rallied to defeat the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field, Mariucci received a scouting report -- from his parents who were watching the game from their home in Iron Mountain, Mich.
"Mom is now our new scout," said Mariucci, who grew up a Packers fan in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Mrs. Mariucci's advice?
"Tell your guys cover to [wide receiver Donald] Driver," said Mariucci, referring to Brett Favre's favorite target. "My mom loves to watch football -- college, pro, the CFL [Canadian Football League]."
Mariucci said Sunday's showdown at Candlestick "will be a playoff-like game and offers us a real barometer of where we are as a team right now," Mariucci said.
The last 49ers-Packers game came in the wild card playoff round on Jan. 13, with Green Bay winning 25-15 at Lambeau Field.
"We're certainly glad we're at home rather than playing on the frozen tundra," Mariucci said. "A lot of our guys are limited in how much they can practice this week."
A 49ers' win Sunday means they would almost certainly avoid having to play at Lambeau Field in January where the Packers have never lost in the playoffs.
Mariucci has one big Christmas wish for his team: "I hope we're going to be healthier in the playoffs than we are right now."
XTom Williams covers the NFL for The Vindicator. Write him at williams@vindy.com.