The Pittsburgh Steelers have turned their season around, but they must continue to improve to be Super Bowl contenders.
Not that long ago, the Steelers were 1-3 and any mention of being a Super Bowl contender seemed ludicrous. Now, at 5-3, the light of playoff aspirations are shining over the city of Pittsburgh, so it’s reasonable to explore if they’re true Super Bowl contenders.
After stringing together four-consecutive wins, the Steelers have climbed the ranks and are currently in the playoff picture. Sitting at second in the AFC North, Pittsburgh would be a current sixth seed.
With all of the newfound optimism surrounding the Steelers, it’s important to note that the four-game winning streak hasn’t been the cleanest. Pittsburgh has eked out some ugly wins and played competitive games with subpar teams. Because of that, not many would predict them to make a run in the playoffs.
Fortunately, the season doesn’t end today, and Pittsburgh has more time to improve. The team at its current form is not a Super Bowl contender, but they can get there. Here are the five things the Steelers must improve on to be a Super Bowl contender this season:
5. Steelers must have fewer offensive penalties
One thing that many Pittsburgh fans will admit is that the offense has struggled. They have taken small steps towards improvement, but overall, they have been mediocre. With an offense of that caliber, the Steelers can’t afford to ever move backward, but they have been doing that with offensive penalties.
According to NFL Penalties, Pittsburgh was the 9th most penalized offense prior to Week 10 with 31 penalties for 230 yards. While every team wants to avoid penalties, sometimes are better equipped to gain back the lost yardage— the Steelers aren’t one of those teams.
The undisciplined actions are certainly contributing to the lack of production as these preventable penalties have stalled numerous Pittsburgh drives. If the Steelers are going to improve into contenders, they must commit fewer penalties on offense.