Behind the Steel Curtain
The Steelers enjoyed an early bye in Week 5 after the team’s best win of the season against the Vikings in Ireland. And despite not playing a down on Sunday, Pittsburgh emerged as the biggest winner in the AFC North following losses by the Ravens, Bengals, and Browns, giving the black and gold a strong lead over the division through the first quarter of the season.
This week, Read & React will tackle the question of whether the Steelers really can hold onto their spot atop the AFC North with their first two divisional games looming. And with Alex Highsmith back at practice, do the Steelers suddenly have a decision to make at outside linebacker?
RP: The Steelers’ first four games haven’t exactly gone smoothly, and yet somehow they have once again found themselves in prime position to win the division.
If you want to put an actual number to it, the folks over on the website Playoff Status currently have Pittsburgh at a 65% chance of winning the division. They are also tied for the highest probability (22%) of landing the number one seed in the AFC.
Sounds pretty good, right? And yet…
Does it really feel like the Steelers are the clear No. 1 seed in the AFC? Probably not, right? The probability rates are fun to track, but they lose some of their predictive punching power when you consider that the team tied with the Steelers for the best odds of gaining the top seed is the Jaguars.
You know. The team putting this on display in front of a national audience.
The Steelers still have a lot to prove to themselves, the fanbase, and the rest of the NFL. That isn’t a bad thing, but I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge having some strong skepticism. The Steelers have had plenty of seasons recently that started well in the win-loss column, but saw the Steelers fade late in the season when schedules and conditions often get harder.
Pittsburgh’s remaining schedule isn’t as brutal as the final month last year was, but it still is no cake walk. The Steelers are about to face the Ohio teams in a four-day span. And as down as both those teams look, the Steelers are in no position to look past them.
No, not even the Browns.
The rest of the season doesn’t get any easier.
Green Bay has looked dangerous. The Colts – who beat the Steelers last season – have looked much better than anyone was anticipating. The Chargers can hang with any team as long as Justin Herbert is healthy. The Bears look much improved under new leadership. The Bills and Lions are Super Bowl contenders. And the Ravens have looked awful, but should have Lamar Jackson back when the Steelers face them, and we watched them turn...
