For as many problems they may have right now, there is certainly a strain of fan that always believes things are worse than they really are for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Many different factors come into play there, including expectations, but things tend not to be as bad as some make it out to be. Such is life in general.
Here is the reality as we currently sit here: The Steelers are 2-2 and need only to win this Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens to move to 3-2. In doing so, they would at least temporarily be first place in the AFC North by virtue of head-to-head tiebreakers with the Ravens (and possibly the Cleveland Browns if they also win) and a better divisional record (2-0).
And then they will go into the bye week with the opportunity to assess what has transpired the past five weeks and how to address it from that point forward. That doesn’t mean that things will magically get better, but all things considered, it’s a pretty good position to be in.
One thing to be optimistic about is the return of WR Diontae Johnson, who should be back after the bye. He has been on the Reserve/Injured List with a hamstring injury suffered early in the second half of the opener but will be eligible to return in Week 7.
Even those who are not the biggest fan of Johnson at this point will acknowledge his importance within the offense. At the very least, he attracts attention and provides a consistently open target, which is something the Steelers can use right now.
Still yet unproven, we can also hope for improvement along the offensive line. Rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones could be entering the starting lineup on a full-time basis, making his first career start due to injury on Sunday. The job could be his if he plays well enough, and he will only improve with experience.
Another bright side is positive developments in the running game. Little by little, we are seeing improvements both in terms of blocking and in the quality of running, particularly from Najee Harris. If the offense can flesh out the running game as the foundation of what the Steelers are trying to do, this could look like a different unit after the bye.
On defense, we can trace increased roles for rookies, again, as reasons for optimism. Keeanu Benton is already seeing decent playing time along the defensive line. And it’s only a matter of time before CB Joey Porter Jr. begins to play more. That was the plan all along, and he’s given the Steelers no reason to want to change their minds.
The biggest question mark remains QB Kenny Pickett, however, at least on the field. A better performance against the Baltimore Ravens would do much to give Steelers fans a reason for some hope going into the bye. As it should, it all falls upon his shoulders, and at least for this week, his knee.
