Pittsburgh Steelers on track for another AFC North title, chance at Super Bowl
After thrashing the Carolina Panthers 52-21 in a Thursday Night Football matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers stepped back into the Super Bowl contender bubble.
Do you remember when the Pittsburgh Steelers started the year 1-2-1? How about the premature burial for their Super Bowl chances with star running back Le’Veon Bell on hiatus, a porous secondary and some bickering on the sidelines between Antonio Brown and his offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner.
After the Steelers rattled off five consecutive victories, it’s all a distant memory. Pittsburgh hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer since Week 4 when they faced Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. Running back James Conner ranks second among ball-carriers in rushing yards with 836. Brown smiled Thursday night while burning the Panthers pass defense.
Despite the urgency every week, it’s a long NFL season. Teams go through peaks and valleys. It just so happens the Steelers opened the year in a bit of a pit. They dug themselves out, and they’re once again sitting on the throne in the AFC North at 6-2-1.
The Cleveland Browns started the year with some feistiness, but their battleship has sunk with the coaching staff in flux. The Ravens threw the first punch in the season series, but they’re licking their wounds on a bye week amid a three-game losing streak. At their best, the Bengals couldn’t beat the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium.
Pittsburgh will have some critical battles outside its division with the Jacksonville Jaguars next up on the schedule then matchups with the Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints late in the season.
While each of those teams will test the Steelers on both sides of the ball, it seems as though someone is ready to join the fray for a midseason push toward another AFC North title. Bell posted a cryptic tweet that suggests he’s preparing for a return to the gridiron:
https://twitter.com/LeVeonBell/status/1060736107342675969
Assuming Bell shows up at the Steelers’ facility within a week to earn credit for the 2018 campaign, Pittsburgh would have the best backfield in the NFL. The league’s No. 2 rusher paired with a two-time All-Pro on fresh legs. Who’s stopping that duo?
Of course, Bell isn’t going to come in and reclaim his starting role right away, averaging nearly 20 carries per contest. However, don’t rule out spot duty as a receiver with an increasing number of touches as the season progresses. Conner exited Thursday’s game in concussion protocol. The team will monitor his status until he’s cleared.
As for opponents left on Pittsburgh’s schedule—beware. The Steelers have one of the best pass-rushing defenses in the league. They’re No. 1 sacks. According to Football Outsiders, the offensive line ranks first in pass protection. The coaching staff has shored up the secondary. With Bell, they can potentially field the best ground attack.
Where’s the weakness?
The Steelers have a roster loaded with talent that can beat down the opposition in the trenches. The collective group can also engage in scoring shootouts and drop 52 points in four quarters.
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This isn’t the same team that tied with the Browns in Week 1 or lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2. A good football team knows how to win games—a Super Bowl-contending squad can beat their opponents in multiple ways. File the Steelers in the latter category.