It’s not pretty, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are finding ways to win. Sitting at 5-3 entering Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers find themselves in the AFC playoff picture, which is rather remarkable considering the offensive struggles the team has had through the first eight games of the season.
Not only are they in the playoff picture, the Steelers also find themselves in the middle of the pack — around the top 15 — in a trio of NFL Power Rankings from the likes of ESPN, The Athletic and CBS Sports.
For CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco, who compiled the Power Rankings for Week 10, the Steelers sit at No. 16, remaining in the same position they were in last week despite beating the Titans on Thursday Night Football.
Prisco, like many others, questions how the Steelers are 5-3 on the season.
“How does Mike Tomlin have this team at 5-3? It has been on the negative side of the yardage battle in every game it has played,” Prisco writes regarding the Steelers in the power rankings.
How the Steelers are 5-3 remains a bit puzzling considering their offensive struggles. As Prisco cited, the Steelers have been outgained in all eight games this season, becoming the 34th team in NFL history to have that happen through eight games. Interestingly enough though, the Steelers are the only team out of those 34 to have a winning record despite being outgained.
That seems entirely unsustainable, but the Steelers’ offense showed some signs of life on a short week last Thursday after offensive coordinator Matt Canada made the move from the booth to the sideline and the Steelers inserted rookie Broderick Jones into the lineup at right tackle. Those moves led to the Steelers scoring an opening-drive touchdown — which is a rarity — and established a strong run game.
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall wonders how the Steelers are 5-3, too, in his power rankings. In The Athletic’s power rankings, the Steelers sit at No. 13, having fallen one spot from last week.
“Yes, the Steelers are two games above .500, but we can’t forget the hype surrounding this team’s preseason offensive performance, and the subsequent uptick in expectations it caused. Through that lens, this team (which ranks 26th in the league at 4.7 yards per play), feels less than what it should be,” Kendall writes regarding the Steelers in The Athletic’s power rankings. “Pittsburgh is the 34th team since 1933 to be outgained in each of its first eight games and is the only team from that list to have a winning record after eight games, according to ESPN.”
In totality, the total yards issue for the Steelers is a real concern. But boiling it down, the issues per play, whether through the air or on the ground, is a major issue. Everything is seemingly a struggle for the Steelers offensively, at least until the fourth quarter when Pittsburgh wakes up and becomes a competent offense, usually storming back late to win the game.
The offensive performance is maddening, but the Steelers are finding ways to win in spite of the offensive struggles. They are good in close games, and that means something overall.
As for ESPN’s power rankings, the Steelers sit at No. 13, having climbed a spot after the win over the Titans. In ESPN’s Power Rankings, the article focused on non-QB MVPs for each team. Unsurprisingly, T.J. Watt was the choice for the Steelers.
“This is a no-brainer. No one is having a bigger game-changing impact for the Steelers than Watt. Through eight games, Watt has 9.5 sacks — tied for second most in the NFL with Garrett and Maxx Crosby — 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 1 interception,” ESPN’s Brooke Pryor writes. “And one of those fumble recoveries was a game-winning scoop-and-score in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh’s Week 2 win against the Browns.
“Without Watt, the Steelers aren’t 5-3 or in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt.”
It truly is hard to imagine where the Steelers would be without Watt, at least this season. We saw what the Steelers were last season without Watt, which was one of the worst teams in football. This season though, he’s taken it up a notch. He’s a game-wrecker and saves his best for late in games, helping the Steelers come back for thrilling wins.
The play style might not be sustainable for the Steelers, but as long as a star like Watt is healthy, the Steelers have a chance. They’re frisky right now and remain in the playoff picture. That’s rather impressive.
