Don’t look now, however the Pittsburgh Steelers are operating away with the AFC North.
Earlier than the calendar had flipped to December, followers in Pennsylvania and past thought that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin may very well be falling out of favor in Pittsburgh.
After Monday evening’s dominant victory towards the Miami Dolphins, Tomlin proved that he’s incapable of getting a shedding season in Pittsburgh. The Steelers had gained their twenty third consecutive Monday Evening Soccer recreation, relationship again to 1991.
However extra importantly, the Steelers improved to 8-6. Tomlin is one victory away from securing one other season above .500. They’re operating away with the AFC North, and can solely must defeat the Baltimore Ravens to be able to safe one other divisional crown.
Whereas the Aaron Rodgers led Steelers may not be Tremendous Bowl contenders fairly but, they’re peaking on the good time. Whether or not they fester out within the NFL postseason or not, Tomlin proved that he nonetheless has sufficient juice to get the Steelers a seat on the desk.
It’s not up for debate that the Steelers capitalized on the worst division in soccer. However any individual needed to win it. The Ravens handled accidents to their quarterback Lamar Jackson, and as soon as he returned, issues by no means clicked.
In Cincinnati, the Bengals misplaced too many video games with Jake Browning and Joe Flacco at quarterback whereas Joe Burrow rehabbed his turf toe damage. Now, Burrow is questioning if he’s even having enjoyable enjoying soccer.
The Cleveland Browns are nonetheless coping with the fallout from their $230 million mistake in Deshaun Watson. When Ben Roethlisberger retired, it regarded just like the Browns would lastly have an avenue to contend on this division. However that by no means materialized.
Defensively, the Steelers are overrated. Throughout the preseason, Tomlin proclaimed that this may very well be one of many prime defenses that Pittsburgh has ever seen. They’ve did not stay as much as these requirements of their full physique of labor, however they’re enjoying higher these days.
Offensively, it feels just like the Steelers will go so far as Rodgers can take them.
The run recreation headlined by Jaylen Warren isn’t large. Exterior of DK Metcalf, they don’t have many receiving threats. They’re utilizing 300-pound tight finish Darnell Washington as a receiver. It has labored over the previous few weeks, but it surely’s truthful to query if that’s a gimmick that can maintain up within the postseason.
However proper now, the Steelers have the luxurious of crossing the bridge of profitable playoff video games once they get to it. A couple of weeks in the past, it appeared just like the offseason acquisitions of Rodgers and Metcalf have been pointless. They’ll use their upcoming video games towards the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns as tune-ups forward of a pivotal Week 18 matchup with the Ravens.
Now, it seems like Tomlin in some way discovered a strategy to coach a veteran workforce again into the postseason, even when they aren’t as proficient as different contenders within the AFC. You’ll be able to simply by no means rely them out.
