It takes a lot for a former Baltimore Raven to admit that the hated Pittsburgh Steelers are the class of their division, let alone the entire conference. But that is exactly where we are with Shannon Sharpe putting his bias aside to give the Steelers their props.
Sharpe thinks the Steelers could be the best team in the entire AFC.
“I’m not so sure it’s not the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Sharpe said via ESPN’s First Take. “I think we can put to rest that the Ravens are the best team. I think Kansas City hasn’t played well all year, especially offensively. Their defense was outstanding with the exception of yesterday. I’m not so sure it’s not the Pittsburgh Steelers considering the way they played defense and how they neutralized the Baltimore Ravens’ offense yesterday and their ability to get the ball down the field and score when they absolutely have to. They’re well coached, they don’t beat themselves.”
Considering how the Steelers were viewed entering the season, as a seventh-seed team in the AFC playoffs at best, their rise to the top has been pretty remarkable. Russell Wilson and his leadership have elevated the entire team.
Going by scoring differential, the Steelers are third in the AFC with a positive differential of 71 points. That is behind only the Los Angeles Chargers at 75 and the Buffalo Bills at 106.
If I had to give an answer right now, I would probably give the edge to the Bills just because they have an MVP candidate at quarterback, they just beat the Chiefs and their point differential is so high. The Steelers have some pretty impressive wins under their belt, too. The Chargers and the Broncos both have top-three defenses, and the Steelers managed to beat both of them before Wilson was back in the lineup. The Ravens and Commanders are both top-five offenses, and the Steelers beat both of them in back-to-back weeks.
The Steelers are just a few minor changes away from having way better numbers on offense. Their problem hasn’t been moving the ball between the 20-yard lines but punching it in once in the red zone. If they can improve that by a small fraction, then the Steelers are routinely going to be putting up close to 30 points per game.
Are the Steelers definitively the best team in the AFC? No. But the very fact that some are starting to discuss them in that light shows what kind of trajectory the team is on with seven games to go in the regular season. Following Week 11’s results, the Steelers control their own destiny for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They do not need to rely on other results. If they win out, they get a first-round bye.
