Steelers trying to end this inexplicable 45-year Thursday losing streak in Week 7 against Bengals
This losing streak doesn't even seem possible
By
John Breech
•
3 min read
With six Super Bowl wins, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. But despite all their success, there is one thing they've never been able to pull off, which they'll have a chance to do in Week 7: Win a Thursday night road game against a divisional opponent.
The Steelers have played a total of eight divisional Thursday games on the road in franchise history, and they've gone 0-8 in those games, which includes going 0-6 under Mike Tomlin.
The Steelers had a chance to end the streak last year but ended up losing a 24-19 shocker to the Cleveland Browns in a game where Pittsburgh was favored by 3.5 points.
The Steelers will have a chance to end their inexplicable losing streak when they travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals in a Thursday game where Pittsburgh is favored by 5.5 points, per Caesars Sportsbook.
The streak started in 1980 with a loss to the Houston Oilers, and it's now been going on for 45 years.
| Opponent | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
Oilers (AFC Central) | Oilers 6-0 | Dec. 4, 1980 |
Jaguars (AFC Central) | Jaguars 20-6 | Dec. 2, 1999 |
Browns (AFC North) | Browns 13- | Dec. 10, 2009 |
Ravens (AFC North) | Ravens 22-20 | Nov. 28, 2013 |
Ravens (AFC North) | Ravens 26-6 | Sept. 11, 2014 |
Browns (AFC North) | Browns 21-7 | Nov. 14, 2019 |
Browns (AFC North) | Browns 29-17 | Sept. 22, 2022 |
Browns (AFC North) | Browns 24-19 | Nov. 21, 2024 |
That's 0-8 straight up and 1-7 against the spread.
This streak has been going on for so long that the Steelers have played two divisional games against opponents who aren't even in their division anymore (Jaguars and Oilers/Titans).
It's not just divisional games, though, Thursday nights have generally been a nightmare for the Steelers. Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Steelers are 3-15 in Thursday road games, which is the worst winning percentage of any NFL team in that span.
Here's a look at the three teams that have been the worst in Thursday road games since 1970 (via CBS Sports Research):
1. Steelers: 3-15 (.167)
2. Browns: 2-8 (.200)
3. Jets: 3-11 (.214)
The fact that the Browns and Jets are on that list isn't a surprise to anyone, but seeing the Steelers lumped in there is definitely shocking. Overall, the Steelers are 12-18 on Thursdays in franchise history.
If you look at just the games played since Tomlin was hired, the numbers don't get any better. The Steelers coach is 2-9 on the road in Thursday games, including 0-6 against divisional opponents. Since the start of the 2019 season, the Steelers are 1-5 on Thursday night.
If anyone can help the Steelers snap this streak, it's Aaron Rodgers. The four-time NFL MVP has won 11 Thursday night games in his career, which is the second-most in league history. (He has a Thursday record of 11-5.) The only QB with more Thursday wins is Tom Brady, and Rodgers could tie him with a win over the Bengals.
It's almost fitting that Rodgers could tie Brady because he'll be tying another Brady mark as soon as he takes the field in Cincinnati. The matchup between Rodgers and Joe Flacco will mark just the second pairing ever of two quarterbacks over the age of 40. The only other time it happened came in 2020 when Brady and Drew Brees played each other three times while playing for the Buccaneers and Saints.
Brady also has the most wins of any QB ever against the Steelers with 12, which is worth noting because Flacco is right behind him. If the Bengals pull the upset, not only will Pittsburgh's nightmare losing streak continue, but Flacco will tie Brady for the most wins ever over the Steelers.
