Steelers-Panthers NFL Week 15: What You Need To Know

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Steelers had an opportunity to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive last week, but abominable play on offense, defense and special teams resulted in a 16-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. With the defeat, only people experiencing fever dreams can envision them making the playoffs at this point.

This week, the 5-8 Steelers play the 5-8 Carolina Panthers, a game even the players on both losing teams probably aren't interested in. With this miserable season lost, the Steelers organization probably is looking forward to 2023 and the chance to shore up what undeniably is a lousy team.

How will they start doing that? In a way-too-early mock draft, CBS Sports has the Steelers taking offensive tackle Peter Skoronski of Northwestern with in the first round to shore up their woebegone offensive line.

"Skoronski is a pass-pro wizard, but he may not have top-10 caliber athletic gifts," Chris Trapasso wrote. "The Steelers will gladly pick him here at No. 13 overall."

So perhaps there's a ray of hope for the future. As for Sunday, however, your time may better be spent doing last-minute Christmas shopping than watching these two bad teams in action.

Here's what you need to know about the game:

• Where: Bank of America Stadium
• When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
• Forecast: Sunny, temperatures in the mid-40s.
• Favored: Panthers by 3, according to oddsshark.com.
• Series history: Steelers lead the series 6-1.
• Last meeting: Nov. 8, 2018, Steelers won 52-21.
• Series streak: Steelers have won the past six meetings.
• TV: CBS with Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta, AJ Ross.
• Radio: WDVE-FM with Bill Hillgrove, Craig Wolfley and Max Starks.