The AFC North is shaping up to be the deepest, if not best, division in football right now. All four teams in the division have a record over .500. No other division even has three teams with records that good. There’s certainly potential for the North to send three teams to the playoffs, or set a new NFL record and see the whole division qualify for the playoffs.
According to NFL analyst Bucky Brooks, the Steelers better hope all four teams make the playoffs. He ranked them the worst team in the AFC North, and here’s what he listed as their largest Achilles Heel.
“Amazingly, Pittsburgh sits at 5-3 despite being outgained on the yardage front in every single game.” Brooks noted. “The Steelers’ offense has struggled to move the ball and put points on the board under the direction of coordinator Matt Canada. The much-maligned play-caller has been unable to create a consistent flow with Kenny Pickett in the former first-round pick’s sophomore season. While some play designs have been problematic, the blocking at the point of attack and overall execution suggest Pittsburgh’s issues extend beyond the play-calling booth. Until the offense finds its groove and rhythm, the Steelers will have a tough time scratching out wins against elite competition down the stretch.”
The rest of Brooks’ list saw the Baltimore Ravens at number one, the Cincinnati Bengals at number two, and the Cleveland Browns at number three.
The criticisms that Brooks makes of the Steelers are fair to an extent. It’s historically unprecedented for a team to get outgained this frequently and continue to win games like the Steelers have.
However, they have won games against competition already, including against the team Brooks had ranked number one in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens. While there is certainly a question of whether the Steelers can do this consistently, or even in a playoff setting, there is undeniable proof that they can do so.
The Steelers sit a 2-0 in the AFC North, which is key to potential tiebreaker situations down the season’s stretch. It also makes the Brooks ranking seem a little unfair, as the Steelers have beaten two of the teams ahead of them, but haven’t lost to them yet.
Pittsburgh will have their share of opportunities to prove Brooks wrong. They have a game each against the Ravens and Browns, and two left against the Bengals. They also play all three of those teams on the road, where any win would instantly become the team’s most impressive road win.
