Pittsburgh Steelers 4-0 start hearkens back to 1979 team

The Pittsburgh Steelers are unbeaten through four weeks, a first since the 1979 Super Bowl championship

For the first time since their 1979 championship season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are undefeated through four weeks of competition. The fourth victory is all the more impressive given an unexpected circumstance.

A 38-29 victory over Philadelphia came after an unexpected bye week in which the Steelers did not play against the Tennessee Titans due to the COVID-19 outbreak within their organization. Pittsburgh, while showing a few signs of rust, managed to win while showing high levels of resolve, a trait that would be admired by their championship predecessors.

1979 holds a special place in the heart of Steelers fans as they are the last Super Bowl champion to have an entire roster comprised of players that have not played for any other professional franchise upon arriving in Pittsburgh. However, that team led the league in turnovers with 52 turnovers. Despite that, they led the NFL in points scored with 416 points.

A long way to go but the Steelers are off to a good start.

It’s only the first quarter of the season, but the team is proving themselves to be a competitor with balance on both sides of the football. QB Ben Roethlisberger is playing like his old self, which is a great plus for the Steelers given last years’ struggles at the QB position.

Though the 1979 Steelers had Hall of Famers in John Stallworth and Lynn Swann, this Steelers team has productivity in their receiving corps. JuJu Smith-Schuster has stepped in a larger role and performed well, and rookie Chase Claypool is emerging into a viable option.

Against the Eagles, Claypool had four touchdowns, being just the fourth rookie receiver in NFL history to score four touchdowns in one game, and the first Steeler to do since Roy Jefferson in 1968.

The defense meanwhile had a field day against the Eagles with five sacks. However, let’s not get too carried away. This defense is to be respected, but in no way do they compare to the Steel Curtain.

This Steelers team does not have only players that they drafted nor do they lead in turnovers, but they, like their championship teams from the past, do have a common trait, the Pittsburgh mentality.

Pittsburgh hoping that the stars align in their favor for the rest of this season, just like it did in 1979.