Dick LeBeau spent almost 60 years in the NFL as a player and a coach. He has seen just about everything so it did not necessarily surprise him when the Pittsburgh Steelers righted their season after many had given it last rites.
And it certainly impressed him that the Steelers made the playoffs after a worse-than-Buffalo-weather stretch in December.
“When they won those last three games, that was a hell of a thing that they did because they were not playing good football. And they got it turned around and beat better teams than they had been losing to,” LeBeau, the former Steelers defensive coordinator, told Steelers Depot. “They’ve earned the right to get in there and slug it out.”
How the Steelers earned the right to fight is as myriad as it is well-documented. Mason Rudolph starred in “The QB3 That Saved Pittsburgh,” taking command of a rudderless offense after not playing a meaningful snap since the 2021 season. His play opened the offense up enough for the Steelers to ground and pound opponents — the way they will have to win in the playoffs, starting this afternoon against the Buffalo Bills.
Meanwhile, Myles Jack, who had been retired a week before Thanksgiving, and Eric Rowe helped stabilize the second and third levels of a defense that had been crushed by injuries.
Add it all up and the Steelers have at least given themselves a chance to accomplish the organization’s annual goal of winning the Super Bowl.
“Your first thing is getting into the tournament,” LeBeau said, “and you’re next thing is winning it.”
That will be a tall order for the Steelers. They have to win at Buffalo and Baltimore just to reach the AFC Championship Game. And they haven’t won two consecutive playoff games since 2016. Or even one since that same season.
On the flip side, five of their 10 regular-season wins came against playoff teams. And they went 5-1 in the AFC North, easily the toughest division this season.
“I know the scenario was different for the second game with Baltimore, but the Steelers got two wins over Baltimore and Baltimore probably right now is the top favorite to win the whole damn thing,” LeBeau said. “You never know in the NFL. That’s why they play the games.”
The Steelers will go into their wild-card game against the streaking Bills as heavy underdogs, but one significant variable has been added to the equation. Buffalo is digging out from a massive snowstorm with gusting winds and frigid temperatures expected to linger.
“Inclement weather,” LeBeau said, “is the ally of the defense.”
