Steelers may already be in a must-win situation against the Raiders

For a team with a 3-2 record who lost its projected starting quarterback just days before the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of negativity surrounding their season. Unfortunately, it is for good reason. Coming off of back-to-back disappointing losses, the Steelers now must travel to face the Las Vegas Raiders in what could be a must-win game. That's right, I believe this week could already be a potential tipping point for the Steelers season.

With the Baltimore Ravens surging to 3-2 after an 0-2 start and the Steelers dealing with a multitude of injuries, this game against the Raiders is one they cannot afford to drop. Sure, plenty of teams who start 3-3 can and have made the playoffs, but the Steelers schedule down the stretch of the season is a unique one, to say the least.

The Steelers play all six of their divisional matchups (plus the Eagles and Chiefs) in their last eight games, an absolute gauntlet for any team to try and get through. While the Browns and Bengals currently sit at a putrid 1-4, divisional games are never easy in the AFC North. Throw in an unexpectedly tough game against the Commanders coming up before the Bye Week, and this schedule is nothing to sneeze at.

The question now is whether the Steelers can find a way to overcome their myriad of issues to come away with a big win on the road.

Steelers must find a way to win without their trump card

The Steelers have made a living by winning with a dominant pass rush and (sometimes) a complimentary offense. They are at their best when they have even a small lead entering the fourth quarter when T.J. Watt and company can pin their ears back and make playing offense impossible for the opposing team. Now with the injuries to Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, Watt finds himself essentially all alone on the edge of the defense.

Sure, Cam Heyward is still out there and playing as great as ever. Keeanu Benton and Larry Ogunjobi have also played well next to him. Even so, it was clear late in the game against Dallas that lacking a true rusher opposite Watt killed any chance of stopping Dak Prescott from driving the length of the field for a game-winning score. The Raiders present much less of a challenge offensively than Dallas, but any offense can look good when the opposing defense is this beat up.

The bottom line is that the Steelers may be a better team than the Raiders, but between injuries and their conservative nature, they cannot be trusted to win. If they want the opportunity to fight for a playoff spot down the stretch of the season, however, they must find a way to leave Vegas with a victory.