CHASE CLAYPOOL

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is likely headed into retirement after a 42-21 loss to the Chiefs in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Sunday night.

Ben Roethlisberger delayed his retirement a little longer, guiding Pittsburgh to a 16-13 overtime win over the Baltimore Ravens that left the Steelers on the verge of an improbable playoff berth.

Never mind the comeback the Pittsburgh Steelers made in the second half.

The Minnesota Vikings held on to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-28 by forcing an incomplete pass in the end zone on the final play.

The Pittsburgh Steelers edged the Baltimore Ravens 20-19 after turning aside a 2-point try by Baltimore in the final seconds.

“You want to hear what he has to say, whether it was about Steelers, about life, just about whatever. “You just wanted to listen to him because he was so soft-spoken, but he was so wise," the longtime quarterback said. Roethlisberger is one of just five Steelers who were on the roster in 2016, Rooney's final season with the team. That’s not the way that we used to do it,’" he said. “That’s just the way things go, and I’m sure the (19)70s team probably looked at us even 10, 20 years ago (and thought that) ...

The Pittsburgh Steelers are receiving a heavy dose of criticism from former players during a three-game winless streak.

Hall of Fame Game Cowboys Steelers Football Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (34) tries to escape the grasp of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III during the first half of the Pro Football Hall of Fame NFL preseason game Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Canton, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane) (Ron Schwane)CANTON, Ohio — (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers followed a stumbling first half with a strong final 30 minutes to beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-3 on Thursday night in the first NFL preseason game in two years. Matthew Sexton's 36-yard punt return early in the third quarter jump-started the Steelers, and the Cowboys never challenged after it. STEELERS NATIONThe Cowboys might be the self-proclaimed America's Team, but not when they invade Northeast Ohio. Dallas tackle Isaac Alarcon was helped off the field in the third period.

The Pittsburgh Steelers followed a stumbling first half with a strong final 30 minutes to beat Dallas 16-3 in the first NFL preseason game in two years.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)Say this about Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster: he sure knows how to fire up foes through jigs and digs alike. He said he thought “they’re still the same Browns teams I play every year” and while they had talent, “the Browns is the Browns." The Browns snapped their 17-game losing streak at Heinz Field with their first road playoff win since 1969. “That turns you up a little bit,” Buffalo safety Jordan Power said after the Bills’ 26-15 win over Pittsburgh in Week 14. “For the betterment of myself and my teammates, I’m going to stop dancing on the logos,” Smith-Schuster declared after that loss to Cincinnati.

While the Chiefs get another week’s rest, the six other AFC playoff teams get going this weekend. For just the second time since the 1970 league merger, every team in the AFC playoffs has at least 11 wins. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 54, 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2, 2020, at Miami. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 43, 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1, 2009, at Tampa, Florida. Their pass rush is nearly nonexistent with 19 sacks, the fewest by a playoff team since Denver had 19 in 1979.

(AP Photo/Justin Berl, File)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The women’s Big Ten basketball game on Sunday between Rutgers and Ohio State in Columbus has been postponed due to an increase in positive COVID-19 tests within the Rutgers program. The Creighton women have paused team activities and postponed three games because of a recent positive COVID-19 test result. ___The Tulsa-Central Florida men’s basketball game scheduled for Saturday at Tulsa has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests and subsequent contact tracing among UCF athletes. ___The Georgia State women’s basketball team has postposed two more Sun Belt Conference games after additional positive tests for COVID-19. 5 South Carolina has paused team activities and postponed its women’s basketball game with Georgia on Thursday night.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield celebrates after the Browns defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Cleveland. The Browns, winless just three seasons ago and so bad for so long, are in the playoffs. The Browns and their passionate fan base endured 197 losses, 14 double-digit-loss seasons and seven coaches since the last playoff appearance. For the moment he got to Cleveland in 2018, Landry's goal was to get the Browns back to the postseason. Steelers: Will be back at full strength for their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.

Young and Jefferson made the Pro Bowl, and surely more rookies would have joined them as alternates at the league’s now-canceled all-star game. “It’s crazy unusual for a rookie, I think, to have the type of leadership that Chase has, genuine leadership,” Washington quarterback Alex Smith said. “I think a lot of young guys, especially high picks, I think you feel pressure to do it some way or somehow. “Talk about a rookie coming in, starting every game and just being focused,” Browns Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio said of Wills. “We’re growing and we’re starting to get a hang of the game,” said Dolphins right tackle Robert Hunt, a second-round pick and one of six Miami rookies starting on offense.

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) applies pressure on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)BALTIMORE – The Pittsburgh Steelers rallied behind Ben Roethlisberger to remain the lone unbeaten team in the NFL, beating error-prone Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens 28-24 Sunday in a duel for first place in the AFC North. The Steelers led 28-24 when the Ravens (5-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Pittsburgh 8 with 2 minutes left. After Pittsburgh went up 7-0 on Spillane's 33-yard touchdown, the Ravens pulled even on a 6-yard touchdown catch by Miles Boykin. That left Pittsburgh thin up front after DE Chris Wormley went on IR Saturday.

Dalvin Cook scored four times for the Minnesota Vikings, who held on for a 28-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Cook has scored six touchdowns in two games against Green Bay this season. Green Bay now has made it seven in a row. The Vikings and Green Bay Packers are tied 7-all in the final minute of the first quarter. This is shaping up to be a windy day in Green Bay.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) pulls off his helmet on the sideline after being sacked by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. The passing game came next, quickly followed by the optimism that somehow things would be different for the Cleveland Browns. The result when the Steelers host the Browns does not. James Conner ran for 101 yards and a touchdown, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 169 yards and a score and Pittsburgh's defense chased aching Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in the third quarter. Pittsburgh sacked Mayfield four times and picked him off twice — including Minkah Fitzpatrick's 33-yard sprint to the end zone on Cleveland's first possession.

Prescott was playing the Giants in the first visit of his former coach, Jason Garrett, now New York’s offensive coordinator. A week after giving up a franchise-record 307 yards rushing, the Cowboys allowed Devonta Freeman 20 yards on three carries. The Giants extended the lead to 14-3 when Kyler Fackrell returned an interception by Dak Prescott 46 yards for a touchdown. Atlanta cornerback Kendall Sheffield suffered a right ankle injury in the second quarter and was listed as questionable to return. Smith is one injury to Allen away from completing his remarkable comeback to play in an NFL game again.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool (11) crosses the goal line for a touchdown on an 84-yard play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)PITTSBURGH – A game seemingly in hand suddenly on the cusp of slipping away, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't overthink things. Needing a stop to turn back the surprisingly resilient Denver Broncos, the Steelers dialed up one final blitz in an afternoon filled with them. So the Broncos (0-2) hung around despite losing starting quarterback Drew Lock (right shoulder) in the first quarter. The Steelers recovered and went downfield for a touchdown while Lock was in the blue medical tent getting evaluated. Still, he wasn't exactly thrilled on a day the Steelers never trailed but struggled to put the Broncos away.

PITTSBURGH Ben Roethlisberger is pretty sure there isn't a technical term for what doctors did to his shredded right elbow last fall. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is pretty sure about one thing though: no one who has ever played his position has ever recovered from it well enough to continue throwing a football for a living. Roethlisberger admitted he'd been dealing what he described as minor elbow discomfort for a while heading into Week 2 against Seattle. The two-time Super Bowl winner underwent surgery shortly thereafter that anchored the torn tendons to his elbow. I still want to win Lombardys," Roethlisberger said, referencing the trophy that goes to the Super Bowl champions.