Not many people believed in the Pittsburgh Steelers before this season began. Even while the Steelers were picking up wins, very few people thought it would last. Now, after beating the Baltimore Ravens and being on top of the AFC North, it seems like some people still refuse to admit the Steelers are as good as their record indicates. ESPN analyst Kimberley A. Martin still needs to be more before conferring championship-contender status on the Steelers.
“I’m not convinced,” Martin said Wednesday on ESPN’s Get Up. “You know why? Because I was in the building when I saw them not score a single touchdown against a Ravens team that was shooting themselves in the foot.”
It’s true the Steelers’ offense couldn’t get in the end zone against the Ravens. However, they still did enough to win the game. When their offense faltered, their defense and special teams were there to pick them up. Battling adversity and still winning is a sign of a good team.
“Even in that postgame locker room, Pat Freiermuth came up to me and was like, ‘How do you like us now?’ ” Martin revealed. “Pat, I think you guys are great. I have said in the preseason, I think, with another season, you guys could win the division. The Super Bowl? No, you’ve gotta put more points on the board.”
It’s safe to say Freiermuth didn’t get the answer he wanted. That shouldn’t bother him at all though. The opinions of people outside the Steelers’ building shouldn’t matter. Still, it must be frustrating to continue to win games and not get proper respect. People have continued to raise the bar for the Steelers.
Leading up to Week 11, the majority of people believed the Ravens were one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Then, the Steelers beat them, slamming the door shut on their offense. It was an ugly game, but nonetheless, the Steelers emerged victorious.
At the end of the year, no one is going to ask if a team won all of its games by one or 20 points. They’ll only see how many wins they have versus losses. Also, it isn’t like the Steelers’ offense has been that anemic all year. Yes, they have real red-zone issues, but in Russell Wilson’s first three starts, they averaged 30 points.
Freiermuth and the rest of the team should just use this doubt to continue to fuel them. First, no one thought Wilson would win games for the Steelers. Then, they needed to beat a “good” team, like the Washington Commanders. After they did that, people stated that they needed to beat a strong divisional opponent.
The Steelers have met every challenge so far. At this point, they should be more comfortable being doubted. As long as they keep winning, nothing else should matter. The only approval they should seek is their own.
