Steelers’ playoff chances out of their hands after loss to Saints

Saints in with win, but Pittsburgh will need help getting to postseason

Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS

Drew Brees capped a 326-yard passing performance with 2-yard touchdown to Michael Thomas with 1:25 left, and the New Orleans Saints clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs with a 31-28 victory over Pittsburgh that dealt a significant blow to the Steelers’ playoff hopes.

Pittsburgh drove into potential tying field-goal range on its final drive, but JuJu Smith-Schuster fumbled when he was stripped by defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins as the receiver landed on top of his tackler. Linebacker Demario Davis recovered.

Alvin Kamara gained 105 yards from scrimmage and ran for two touchdowns for New Orleans (13-2), which rallied for the lead after two defensive stops in the fourth quarter. New Orleans ended one Steelers drive when Kurt Coleman forced Stevan Ridley’s fumble and ended another by narrowly thwarting a fake punt.

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 380 yards and three touchdowns for the Steelers (8-6-1), connecting 14 times with Antonio Brown for 185 yards and two TDs. Pittsburgh fell into second in the AFC North behind Baltimore and out of playoff position.

The Steelers can’t make the playoffs as a wild card, but they still would win the division with a victory next week and a loss by the Ravens. Pittsburgh’s loss also clinched a playoff spot for the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.

New Orleans went up 24-14 in the third quarter when Kamara dove over blockers at the line of scrimmage, capping a drive highlighted by his career-long 42-yard reception.

But the Steelers seized momentum back with a nine-play, 75 yard drive that included three passes to Brown, the last a 3-yard TD toss. Pittsburgh then took a 28-24 led with on its next drive, which again ended with a TD pass to Brown, who split double coverage by Coleman and Marshon Lattimore for his 20-yard score.

The Steelers briefly preserved their 4-point lead when L.J. Fort blocked Wil Lutz’s 50-yard field goal attempt with 6:16 left. But New Orleans quickly forced a fourth-and-5 and then stopped upback Roosevelt Nicks a yard short of a first down when he took the snap on a fake punt with a little more than four minutes to go.

The Saints drove for the go-ahead score with the help of a pass interference call on fourth down, marking the third Saints touchdown drive of the game aided by such a call.

The first also came on a fourth-down play in the first quarter when Joe Haden placed his hand on Kamara’s back on a pass that appeared overthrown. Pittsburgh complained about the flag, but to no avail, and Mark Ingram scored from a yard out for his franchise-record 50th rushing touchdown, surpassing Deuce McAllister’s mark set in 2008.

BEN AND BROWN

Roethlisberger now has 33 TDs passing, breaking his single-season mark of 32 set in 2007 and 2014.

Brown clinched a sixth straight season with at least 100 catches — making him the only NFL receiver to do so — and six straight seasons with 1,200 yards receiving. He also has 15 touchdown catches, surpassing his career best.

INJURIES

Steelers: Nickel cornerback Mike Hilton was examined in the blue tent by team medical staff but returned. ... Starting LB Vince Williams left the game in the second half.

Saints: LT Terron Armstead left in the first half, returned a few series later, but leftagain for good in the second half. Andrus Peat moved to LT and rookie Will Clapp took over at LG.

SUNDAY

Steelers host Cincinnati — and need a win to have any hope of advancing to the playoffs. The Saints finish the season at home against Carolina.