The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a 27–22 road win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, taking over the top spot in the AFC North. But the trip took an unexpected turn afterward when wide receiver DK Metcalf was taken to a hospital due to stomach pains. Fast forward to now, and as the Steelers shift their focus to the Week 15 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, head coach Mike Tomlin offered a positive update on Metcalf’s status.

“He’s moving in the right direction,” Tomlin said. “I don’t think it’s going to jeopardize his availability at all, but it certainly may jeopardize his availability at the early portions of the week from a practice standpoint. But thankfully, he’s fine.”

The Steelers entered Week 14 coming off a brutal 26-7 home loss to the Buffalo Bills that had fans openly calling for Coach Tomlin’s job. But they bounced back in a big way against the Ravens, powered by a strong passing performance led by DK Metcalf. The veteran wideout hauled in 7 catches for 148 yards on 12 targets as Pittsburgh posted 284 passing yards. Right after the game, though, Tomlin addressed that Metcalf got hit in the abdomen during the game, noting:

“He got hit in the abdomen or stomach in-game. I think they gave him some basic over-the-counter remedies in-game, like Pepto or something like that. And it got probably progressively worse after the game.”

Which is exactly why the Steelers pulled Metcalf from the flight after the wideout reported the issues. From there, he was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. He was discharged later that night and ended up staying in Baltimore before returning to Pittsburgh on Monday, Dec. 8, to rejoin the team. Now, with Tomlin’s optimism, we can expect him to suit up against the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. And with that, the Steelers now look to make the playoffs.

What are the Steelers’ playoff odds after the Week 14 win?

The Steelers opened the season looking like a legitimate AFC North contender, jumping out to a 4–1 start. But midseason struggles and a wave of injuries dragged them back into a dogfight with the Ravens. By the time Week 14 rolled around, both teams were sitting at 6–6, setting up a massive first head-to-head meeting.

Now, with Pittsburgh grabbing its seventh win and taking over the division lead, the obvious question pops up: What are their playoff odds? According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Steelers entered Week 14 with just a 32% chance to reach the postseason. But thanks to a win over Baltimore, the chances are nearly doubled, shooting their playoff probability up to 66%.

Looking ahead, Mike Tomlin’s group now draws the Dolphins in Week 15, followed by a tough Detroit Lions matchup. After that, they close with the Cleveland Browns and a rematch with the Ravens. And here’s the key: only one of those four opponents currently has a winning record. So yes, the path is there. As long as they avoid any late-season slipups, Pittsburgh’s playoff outlook looks very real. Unless, of course, Baltimore finds a way to spoil it down the stretch.

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