Steelers Still in Wild-Card Race : Pittsburgh: After 31-22 victory over Tampa Bay, team needs help from Minnesota tonight.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, needing outside help to stay in contention for a playoff berth, became scoreboard watchers late in Sunday’s 31-22 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“We knew we could come in here and win, and with some other things happening, we’d have a shot,” wide receiver Louis Lipps said. “Once we were really up on them, we started looking at the other scores.”

Lipps caught two touchdown passes and Rod Woodson set up 10 points with a kickoff return and interception as the Steelers (9-7) stayed in the AFC wild-card picture with assistance from the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

With the Giants beating the Raiders, 34-17, and the Saints routing the Indianapolis Colts, 41-6, Pittsburgh stayed alive. But the Steelers still won’t make the playoffs unless the Minnesota Vikings beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL’s final regular-season game tonight.

“These guys have done all they can do. Now we just sit back and wait,” Steeler Coach Chuck Noll said.

“It’s been an uphill battle for us all year,” said Noll, whose team hasn’t been in the playoffs in five years. “At the end of the year, you can always look back and wish for a better record, but I’m happy with how these guys finished.”

The victory in the coldest home game in Buccaneers’ history--39 degrees at kickoff--was the fifth in the last six weeks for Pittsburgh, which rebounded from an 0-2 start that saw opponents outscore the Steelers, 92-10.

Lipps scored on receptions of 79 and 12 yards. Woodson returned the opening kickoff 72 yards and a second-quarter interception 39 yards to set up a touchdown by Tim Worley. A field goal by Gary Anderson helped the Steelers build a 24-10 halftime lead.

“A lot of us just became Viking fans,” said Lipps, who had four catches for 137 yards, his fifth 100-yard game of the season.

Tampa Bay, playing without injured quarterback Vinny Testaverde, finished its seventh consecutive losing season by losing nine of its last 11 games.