Somehow, some way, the Pittsburgh Steelers have scratched, clawed and done everything remotely possible to get to 6-3 on the season.
Entering Week 11, the Steelers find themselves firmly in the AFC playoff picture. Yet for many, it’s a lot of smoke and mirrors and wild finishes that have the Steelers lucking their way into a winning record rather than establishing themselves as a real contender or threat in the AFC.
One of those analysts is ESPN analytics analyst Seth Walder.
In a piece Tuesday for ESPN, Walder put the Steelers in Tier 5 of NFL teams, which he labeled the “On the fringes of hope and despair” tier. It is a tier the Steelers share with the Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers.
“The Steelers deserve credit for what they’ve done so far, which has put them firmly in the playoff chase. But I have a hard time buying this team going forward,” Walder writes regarding the Steelers, according to ESPN.com. “They seem to have needed a huge defensive play in most of their wins, and Kenny Pickett ranked 27th in QBR entering Week 10.
“Plus, they are in the NFL’s toughest division and have four games left against their AFC North rivals.”
The Steelers certainly deserve credit for what they’ve done. They’ve overcome some really poor production from the offense, which ranks 25th or worse in a majority of offensive categories this season.
The Steelers are showing signs of turning the corner offensively thanks to the run game. In the last two weeks, the Steelers have rushed for 166 yards and 205 yards with three touchdowns, putting together some dominant performances that has helped them win back-to-back games while giving the offense balance.
Still, without a consistent passing attack because of Kenny Pickett’s struggles, and a defense that is relying heavily on turnovers, it makes for a rather concerning style of football that the Steelers are playing. Who knows if it’s truly sustainable, but the Steelers are 13-5 in their last 18 games like this, dating back to the second half of last season.
It might not look all that enticing now and sustainable in the big picture, but the Steelers are finding ways to win. That’s all that matters. They’re firmly in a playoff spot. They deserve a ton of credit for that. Just get into the dance and we’ll see what happens after that.
