After losing three straight games, including two of which were to 2-10 opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers were staring down the barrel of a season that didn’t end with a playoff appearance. While their playoff odds are still slim, the Steelers went from a team that lost faith in themselves to one that believes in themselves again after a 34-11 drubbing of the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16, rookie corner Joey Porter Jr. said.
“We kind of lost faith in ourselves a little bit the last three games. After this game, it gave us confidence again that we can do this,” Porter said via Josh Rowntree of 93.7 The Fan.
It’s hard not to lose some measure of confidence for a team when you get trounced by two of the worst teams in football. That’s what happened to the Steelers, losing to the Arizona Cardinals in a blowout before going down 21-3 against the New England Patriots. The Steelers then built a 13-0 lead over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15 and proceeded to allow 30 unanswered points, losing 30-13.
But led by QB Mason Rudolph, the Steelers rebounded and put together their most complete game of the season against the Bengals, forcing three turnovers defensively and putting up their most points in over a year. It was also their most points in a win over their last 56 games.
That’s the type of win that can bring some confidence back to a team, and while the Steelers aren’t dead yet, they have to win their last two games, on the road against the Seahawks in Week 17 and in Baltimore against the Ravens in Week 18, to make the playoffs. They’re going to need to play with confidence to have a shot in those two games, and with the way both sides of the ball performed, that’s something that should happen.
The big question for the Steelers going forward is whether they roll with Mason Rudolph under center or go back to QB Kenny Pickett, who practiced in a limited capacity this week and should be able to return in Week 17. Pickett is coming off tightrope surgery after an ankle sprain, and he’s going to need to show he has his full range of motion and mobility back in the pocket if he’s going to start, especially with Rudolph coming off an impressive 290-yard, two-touchdown performance.
But the vibe around the team and in the locker room is different today than it was just a few days ago, when locker room drama was a more prevalent discussion than the play on the field. No matter if they make the postseason or not, the Steelers need to focus on finishing the year strong, playing with confidence, and trying to ride out their momentum.
