Despite all the doom and gloom of the Pittsburgh Steelers season, much of it valid and true, they’re a 4-3 team who would make the playoffs if the NFL season ended today. And on their home grass tonight, they have the chance to move to 5-3 and tumble down a potential Wild Card challenger in the Tennessee Titans.
Previewing the game for Pro Football Talk Thursday morning, Chris Simms is astounded by the Steelers’ ability to find success despite looking ugly so often. To the point that Simms joked Pittsburgh would taint the playoff field if they qualify for postseason action.
“I don’t want them to win because damn, if they get into the playoffs, it’s not going to be all that good,” Simms said to co-host Mike Florio. “They’re going to ruin the playoff field. It’s going to be an ugly Wild Card game and I don’t like that.”
Simms made the comment partially in jest and with a smile. But he noted all the shortcomings of this team they’ve been able to overcome through the first seven games. One of the league’s worst offenses. A defense that has made splash but allowed big plays. Out-played in nearly every game this season. And yet they boast a winning record and typical Steelers’ staying power.
Of the NFL teams this season with a winning record, no team has a worse point differential than the Steelers’ -34. Pittsburgh has relied on timely defensive splash plays and winning late in games to come out on top. Their best players this season has been a front seven led by Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt taking the ball away or returning fumbles and interceptions for touchdowns. And kicker Chris Boswell has been their best source of offense, only missing one field goal all season, a 61-yarder in the rain in last week’s loss to Jacksonville. Hardly one you can blame him for after his 56-yarder was wiped out by a questionable penalty. Boswell has made four field goals of 50-plus yards and bailed out an offense that at best, sputters and stalls and requires Boswell to save a little bit of face.
For Simms, he can’t believe Pittsburgh is in playoff position.
‘It’s the damndest thing I’ve ever seen that they’re 4-3. I feel like they’ve been outplayed in almost every game this season. How many times do you see a 4-3 football team have the third-worst offense and third-worst defense in the league and they’re above .500?”
Simms was using the yards per game recorded and allowed for that stat. More important are points allowed, though Pittsburgh isn’t much better there. They’re 29th in points per game scored and 18th in points per game allowed with two blowout losses and four close wins, all by one-possession. Over the last three seasons, a combined 22 wins, only three of them have been by more than one possession and none by more than 14 points. It’s the NFL’s second-worst ratio only slightly ahead of the New York Giants.
But in Pittsburgh, the only stat that matters are wins. And they have won. Ugly, gritty, and barely. But wins are wins. They’ll look for another one tonight.
