PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are well aware that every team in the AFC North is at least three games over .500 and that 11 teams in the conference have a winning record.

But the division and playoff races that are tighter than a waistline after two turkey dinners isn't the only reason why quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said the Steelers are in a "must-win" situation Sunday when they host the New Orleans Saints.

"Anyone who's played this game will tell you this time of year it's must-win because if you get hot at the right time that's when teams make runs and championships can be had," Roethlisberger said Wednesday. "It's all about playing your football this time of year."

Roethlisberger is approaching the Steelers' final five games, starting Sunday against the Saints, as the team did in 2005.

The Steelers had to win their final four regular season games to get into the playoffs. They did that and won four more games in the postseason to capture the organization's fifth Super Bowl title and first one since 1979.

"We've got to put together a stretch of football like we've never played before," Roethlisberger said. "That's what we're preparing to do."

Roethlisberger is among the veteran players who have been spreading that message of urgency with the Steelers (7-4) tied with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns in the AFC North, just behind the Cincinnati Bengals (7-3-1).

"We want to be hot at the right moment and that's why we're treating this game as a must-win," Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell said. "Our division is so close. You don't know how everything's going to turn out so all we can do is control what we can control. This is the first stretch of the playoffs for us. This is a playoff game for us. That's how we're going to treat it."