Coming of a big 34-11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, the Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive in the tough AFC, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process.
The win over the Bengals was an impressive one for the Steelers, no doubt. Pittsburgh scored 24 first-half points for the first time since 2018 and scored 30-plus points for the first time since Week 11 of the 2022 season. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph, making his first start since 2021, turned in an impressive performance, throwing for 290 yards and two touchdowns, while the Steelers intercepted Cincinnati quarterback Jake Browning three times.
Though the Steelers remain in the AFC postseason picture, NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha isn’t buying them as a legitimate playoff team.
“The Steelers scored a huge win in Saturday’s win over Cincinnati. This team had a ton of offensive issues — including the work ethics of George Pickens and fellow wide receiver Diontae Johnson — so scoring 34 points in a must-win situation isn’t something to be minimized,” Chadiha writes regarding the Steelers. “A better exercise would be questioning if that victory is an indication that Pittsburgh has turned things around. This is still the same team that was blown out by Indianapolis a week earlier and also lost to lousy teams like Arizona and New England during a recent three-game losing streak.
“One big game from Pickens and Mason Rudolph doesn’t change that. It also doesn’t help that Pittsburgh has to face an improving Seattle team and the Baltimore Ravens to close out the season. The Steelers might win one of those games. They definitely aren’t winning both.”
There is no denying just how big the win over the Bengals was. The Steelers’ backs were against the wall, and they were on their third starting quarterback of the season in Rudolph. What a response it was.
The Steelers came out firing, taking shots down the field, leading to some huge plays that ended up in touchdowns from Rudolph to George Pickens.
It was a much-needed performance, and a very strong one from the Steelers on offense. But Chadiha isn’t buying it moving forward.
We’ll see what head coach Mike Tomlin announces regarding the starting quarterback in Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks on the road, whether it’s Kenny Pickett returning from injury or rolling with the hot hand in Mason Rudolph again.
But for Chadiha, it won’t matter because the Steelers aren’t winning both games down the stretch and won’t be in the playoffs. A bold take from Chadiha, to be fair. An understandable one, though.
The Steelers did just lose three straight games and got blown out by the Colts prior to bouncing back against the Bengals. Things feel good right now for the Steelers, but it will be a tough task for the franchise to win the final two games of the season and potentially sneak into the playoffs.
It can be done, no doubt. But Chadiha isn’t buying it.
