2021 NFL Power Rankings, Week 4: Rams claim top spot, Steelers and Bears plummet

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a third quarter touchdown throw by Matthew Stafford #9 in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium on September 26, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

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Pittsburgh Steelers. Mandatory Credit: USA Today Sports/The Enquirer /

Pittsburgh Steelers. 23. team. 55. . . Previous: 12th

When T.J. Watt was ruled out for Week 3 due to injury, I was wondering if we would see the true identity of the Pittsburgh Steelers come out to play, particularly on offense. And I believe that we did in a 24-10 loss to the Bengals in which the black and gold were thoroughly dominated for much of the day.

There’s no doubt that Pittsburgh’s success this season will come on defense, but their salary cap situation has rendered them super thin on that side of the ball. So with Watt and Alex Highsmith missing this game, the Steelers couldn’t muster any pressure on Joe Burrow and he and Joe Mixon took advantage of that.

More importantly, though, Ben Roethlisberger looks completely toast at this point. Sure, he threw for 318 yards, but he was also throwing over 50 times as he tried to play catch-up and couldn’t do anything down the field, giving Najee Harris an aburd 19 targets out of the backfield. The offensive line only makes things worse as a bad unit is now starting to get banged up as well.

Point blank, if the Steelers aren’t dominating defensively, they don’t have the offense to win many games. And it’s not out of line to say that Mike Tomlin’s streak of never finishing below .500 might be in legitimate jeopardy this season.

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