Don’t look now Steelers’ fans, but it’s time for December football.

Even though the NFL’s Week 12 lineup has not yet concluded as the Ravens and Chargers still have to face off on Monday Night Football, it’s on to one of the best weekends of football with a full slate of games this Thursday on Thanksgiving. And even though Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet, the next time the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field it will be December. And for anyone who has been following this team for more than a decade, we should know what time it is in December…

It was unusual for the Steelers only have three games in the month of November, especially with all three of them within 11 days of each other. But that quick bout of three contests was all there was in the 11th month on the calendar. While the Steelers came through with a much needed 2–1 record in the month of November, things did not go as planned.

I made the statement during the bye week, and I stand by it, that the Steelers needed to find a way to go 2– 1 in their next three games before their “mini bye“ in order to put themselves in the best possible scenario. But after winning their first two games in November, finishing 2–1 seems like a disappointment as the Steelers allowed the Browns to get only their third win of the season. But I’ve known for months that this was going to be a difficult matchup on the road on Thursday night football, so now that it’s behind me some I’m strictly looking at the Steelers 8–3 record and what it means going forward.

It means they have put themselves in a good position for the most important month of the season.

When asked in September or October, and even now, who I think will reach the Super Bowl, for years I’ve given the answer: “Ask me in mid December.“ The reason this is the case is because how a team is trending in December often is an indicator as to who is poised to make a deep playoff run. A team may be limping along in November and earlier, but as long as they put themselves in a position to make the playoffs it’s a December run which typically comes from a championship team.

The problem with the Steelers is their December schedule was known to be quite daunting.

With a game against each team in the AFC North in the month of December, and two of them coming on the road, the Steelers also have a road trip to Philadelphia where they have not won since 1962, and they host the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day. It’s an extremely tough stretch of games. But with that being said, it’s still all about December football for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What’s great is the Steelers have not put themselves in a situation where they have to be perfect in the month of December. Frankly, the Steelers likely only need two or possibly three more wins of the remaining six games and they’re in easy playoff position. But limping into the playoffs isn’t the desired outcome.

Even though December football is so important, a team being on the rise at the end of the season is ultimately the best position to be in. For that reason I’m glad the Steelers have a difficult December schedule.

Going into the final month of 2024, the Steelers are about ready to show if they are the real deal or not. If the Steelers can pull off a winning record in December, meaning they win three of their five games, They will be in pretty good shape. If they managed to win four games, they’ll be looking for a deep playoff run. If the Steelers could pull off five wins in the month of December, it’s “lookout NFL.”

I do not expect the Steelers to go undefeated in December. They’re going to be up against it in several spots. But I want them to be challenged. I don’t want the Steelers sliding in to a playoff spot with an easy schedule at the end of the year only to not be ready for a quality opponent. Give them some of the best the NFL has to offer, make them play some of their best football in order to be victorious, and the chances in the postseason will be much better.

It’s time for December football. On to Cincinnati.