"You would have thought we lost a game."
That's how Connor Heyward described the mood in the locker room to me after the Steelers' 28-14 victory over the Browns Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium. Yes, the Steelers capped off a comeback from a 2-6 start to the season to finish 9-8, but the Dolphins' victory over the Jets ended Pittsburgh's playoff hopes.
That was ultimately the goal -- making the playoffs. Ultimately, the Steelers had to take care of business against their AFC North rival in order to keep their playoff hopes alive, regardless of what happened around the league.