The Pittsburgh Steelers shouldn’t look ahead just yet
By Edward Hunt
It isn’t time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to start overlooking anyone.
The Pittsburgh Steelers record stands at 9-2 atop of the AFC North Division and the rest of the AFC. Other than the Patriots who have the same record, the Steelers are ahead of everyone in the AFC by at least two games. Despite this successful record, there are worries surrounding this team like the Offense’s inconsistent play, the secondary’s recent woes without Joe Haden and the run defense’s periodic inconsistency.
People are already talking about how the Steelers matchup for the playoffs, but the Steelers need to not overlook their remaining regular season games.
This Monday night the Steelers play the Cincinnati Bengals and it is never an easy fight. The Bengals always play the Steelers tough despite favorable outcomes for the Steelers. The two sides have a physical rivalry that has included fines, suspensions, and season-ending injuries. This next game may be tamer because of warnings from the league, but there will be a heated matchup on Monday night.
The Steelers then play the Ravens and that is an important game because it may be the game that puts the division on ice. The Ravens are the closest to the Steelers in the division and are probably the only legitimate threat left for the Steelers in winning the division. The two sides also have a heated rivalry that will feature two physical teams that have hated each other for years.
The big regular season game that we are all waiting for is the game against the Patriots. This will be the regular season test that will send a message about who is the favorite in the AFC. Also if both teams continue to win, it will likely be the game that decides home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The Patriots seem to have the Steeler’s number head-to-head, but this is the best Steelers team to date in the Tomlin era.
The Steelers will then have to travel to Houston on Christmas to play the Texans. This game cannot be taken lightly as the Texans have a good defense. The Texans have had surprising success from DeShaun Watson this year and that has made them a competitive team. They may be down in the standings, but their talent is not something to be taken lightly.
Next: Early 2018 NFL Draft needs for the Steelers
The Steelers end the regular season again against the Browns and it’s still a division game. The Steelers may have the playoffs set by this date or they may be playing for a playoff position. Either way, the Browns know the Steelers and would love to knock the Steelers off in the final game of the regular season.