3 biggest overreactions to Steelers' perfect Week 7 win vs. the Jets

The Steelers are coming off their most impressive win of the season against the Jets, and they are sitting pretty with a 5-2 record as we inch closer to the halfway point of the year. The game on Sunday was great from almost every angle. The defense was stout and advantageous while the offense finally saw some consistency in the passing game. We can’t forget special teams either, as they were key in the outcome of the game.

This win and early-season success has naturally led to a lot of overreactions. Some have already cemented this team as the AFC North Champions, while others view them as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Let’s pump the breaks a little though, as we can’t be blinded by these three major overreactions from last week's game.

Beanie Bishop just had his coming-out game

As I highlighted before the game, I thought that Beanie Bishop was in store for his toughest task of the season against the Jets. They have a deep receiver room and all three of their talented starters could work out of the slot. Bishop hadn’t been a liability by any means, but he wasn’t playing at a high level either. He needed a good game last week.

He responded by having the best game of his career. He was better in coverage and picked off two passes (although the second one was fluky, the first one was a great play on his end though). His run defense has gotten better as well in recent weeks.

I’m not ready to cement him as the next great slot defender though. His play to this point was unremarkable and I was fairly certain that Cameron Sutton was going to take over for him when his suspension ended. He needs to stack good games against the Giants now, and if he does, we certainly could see Bishop evolve into a capable starter sooner than we expected.

Where are the Steelers' sacks?

The historically sack-heavy Steelers have struggled in that department this year. The team only has 15 so far this year, and the edge room, thought to be the deepest position on the team, has only attributed eight total sacks. T.J. Watt is on pace for his worst season in that department since his injury, and fellow starter Alex Highsmith has only tallied one sack for the year.

While at the end of the day, you need to capitalize on sacks, this defense is pressuring the quarterback at a high rate. Highsmith against the Jets was a menace even if he didn’t log a sack in that game. Sacks are very hit-or-miss, and a good game or two will put them right back on pace. Those numbers should get better, and the defense is still thriving without a gaudy sack total.

Russell Wilson is the Steelers' savior

I was impressed with what Russell Wilson did in his Steelers debut. Like most fans, I was skeptical of the move, and through the first quarter, my doubts looked to be correct. However, Wilson shook off the rust and ended the game on a high note. Through him, the passing game finally looked functional, something that hadn’t been the case for most of the season.

I’m pumping the breaks on Wilson being the solution though. While he looked good, he was also facing a Jets defense decimated with injuries. It also isn’t uncommon for midseason quarterbacks to have a strong game or two until teams get tape on them (I’m looking at you, Andy Dalton). Wilson certainly deserves the starting role for the foreseeable future, but I want to see him continue that level of play for the remainder of the season.