Despite their record, many in the media wanted to see the Pittsburgh Steelers beat a more competitive team. Sunday against the Washington Commanders, they proved a lot of their doubters wrong. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but the Steelers battled back and emerged victorious. Analyst Colin Cowherd was one person who didn’t believe in the Steelers. Now, he’s seeing shades of Russell Wilson’s former team, the Seattle Seahawks, in the Steelers.
“Just say it out loud about the Steelers,” Cowherd said Monday on The Herd. “Strong defensive coach, good at home, tough, run game, mobile quarterback that really, really is exceptional with the deep ball. That’s Seattle East. I don’t think they’re as good as Seattle, but I’m watching it, and I’m from the Pacific Northwest.”
Cowherd’s comparison isn’t terrible. Just looking at the 2013 Seahawks that won a Super Bowl, there are similarities to the current Steelers. Besides having Wilson as their quarterback, both teams prided themselves on their defense while mainly being a run-first offense.
There are still obviously differences between them too. Wilson isn’t the same quarterback he was in 2013. He can still move, but he isn’t nearly as mobile as he used to be. The Seahawks also had Marshawn Lynch at running back. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are a good combination, but Lynch was a different beast.
The two teams have similar styles, though, and that ultimately seems to be enough for Cowherd to change his mind about the Steelers.
“That’s a real good team. Is it a three- or four-win team [in playoffs] to hoist a trophy?” he said. “I don’t think so. But can that team win multiple playoff games? Run game, defense, coach, [Wilson] over the top.”
The Steelers might not be as good as that Seahawks team, but they have the pieces to be successful in the postseason. As long as Wilson can continue to elevate the offense, the defense has a chance in any game. That’s always been their biggest issue. The Steelers’ defense has been elite for years, but their offense hasn’t been able to support them. That is no longer the case.
Against the Commanders, the Steelers were down by 10 points at one point. The Commanders came out to start the second half and tried to break the Steelers’ will. Instead, Wilson drove the offense down the field and answered right back with a touchdown.
Before this season started, many people thought the Steelers would be a fringe playoff team at best. As of Week 10, they’re at the top of their division, they’ve got arguably the best defense in the league, and have scored around 30 points per game since Wilson took over as the starter. That’s a recipe for success, and it definitely does make them a good team.
