The journey toward the Super Bowl is now well under way with the Pittsburgh Steelers back practicing at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, still informally referred to as the ‘South Side’ facility. With the regular season standing in their way on the path to a Lombardi, there will be questions for them to answer along the way.
We have asked and answered a lot of questions during the preseason and through training camp, but much of the answer-seeking ends in the regular season, and teams simply have to make do with what they have available to them. Still, there will always be questions for us.
You can rest assured that we have the questions, and we will be monitoring the developments in the regular season and beyond as they develop, looking for the answers as we evaluate the makeup of the Steelers on their way back to the Super Bowl, after reaching the AFC Championship game last season for the first time in more than half a decade.
Question: Game Edition – Will the Steelers offense finally be able elevate itself over Baltimore’s defense?
Call me naïve, but for some undefined reason, I have a good feeling about today’s game against the Ravens. I know the Steelers don’t make it easy on themselves, they have a history of losing in Baltimore—especially recently—the offense has not performed well to date this season, but despite all that, I can’t help but find myself optimistic.
Part of it is because I think that after three games of not doing much more than idling, issues are beginning to be addressed internally. And, bonus, the Ravens are down two linemen, which will certainly make things somewhat easier.
It has been no less true in the past than it is now, but I still feel it’s worth saying that there is too much talent available on offense for the struggles to continue as they have. After a week of distractions and adversity (self-inflicted and otherwise), I think they can start to turn the corner this day as a more unified front.
Ben Roethlisberger has talked about knowing that he needs to step up, and to modify specific aspects of his game. Martavis Bryant has vowed to step up. Le’Veon Bell has done the same. And, well, Antonio Brown is Antonio Brown; he’s just going to do what he does regardless of anything else going on around him.
The Steelers are working against a lot of recent history with four straight losses in Baltimore and three straight games of being held to under 20 points there—and in 23 of 31 trips all-time—but trends are trends and not natural laws. They can be defied.
Is my optimism unreasonable? Am I the only one with a suspiciously good feeling about the outcome of today’s game? Am I a moron for thinking this? Let me know in the comments—though beware, I think the word ‘moron’ might get sucked up by our word filter, so maybe refrain from actually calling me a moron.
