PITTSBURGH (AP) -The Pittsburgh Steelers are peaking in December again, a great trait for a team accustomed to playing deep into January.

The problem is this season may be over by New Year's Day, because it took the Steelers more than two months to begin to resemble the team that won its final eight games on the way to a championship last season.

So, if games against AFC North rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati the next two weeks are Pittsburgh's equivalent of the postseason, the Steelers (7-7) want to perform like they did a season ago.

``The way we're playing, we're as a hot a team as anybody out there,'' wide receiver Hines Ward said Wednesday. ``It's unfortunate what happened early in the year, but there's nothing we can do about that. We can't turn back the clock. We have to continue playing, and what better way to redeem yourself than playing Baltimore?''

The Steelers, 2-6 during an unimaginably bad first half, are 5-1 since midseason. Their average margin of victory is 17 points. The only loss was 27-0 to division champion Baltimore last month.

Except for that game, the Steelers are playing much like they were a year ago, when they had to win their final four regular season games merely to reach the playoffs. They've significantly reduced their turnovers, cranked up a running game in which Willie Parker has twice gained more than 200 yards and allowed only one touchdown in three games.

``If we can finish this season off, and some way get into it (the postseason), that's the best opportunity you want, to finish the season on a roll like we did last year,'' cornerback Bryant McAllister said.

Of course, the Steelers must beat the Ravens (11-3) and Bengals (8-6), then hope another half-dozen or so teams lose their final two games. They're the longest of long shots to sneak into the playoffs, but they insist that it won't affect the way they play down the stretch.

``We know it's farfetched but, at the same time, until they tell us we're out of it, we'll keep playing like we know how to play,'' linebacker Joey Porter said. ``Right now, we've got our biggest game of the season, Baltimore coming into our stadium. We have everything to gain out of this, so we're going to go out and play like it, and save face from what they did to us the first time.''

Porter was unhappy when it was suggested the Steelers are winning because they haven't played any quality opponents. Of their five victories since Nov. 12, only a 38-31 decision at home against New Orleans came against a winning-record club.

``You say we haven't played anybody? We did all of that for nothing? Then I'm finished,'' Porter said.

The surprise is a Steelers season that looked finished in mid-October still hasn't played itself out.

``I hope we're peaking, but we've got to win these last two before we say anything,'' Parker said.

Meanwhile, the Steelers placed linebacker Chad Brown (knee) and defensive back Chidi Iwuoma (wrist) on the injured reserve list and signed safety Andre Lott, cut by San Diego last month, and cornerback Jovon Johnson from their practice squad.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.