Although the Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-2 and leading the AFC North, many people still don’t believe what they’re doing is sustainable. Oftentimes, the explanation is that the Steelers haven’t played any of the better teams in the league this season. Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton is looking at this week as the first real test for the Steelers.
“You said something earlier in the show that a lot of teams have not had meaningful wins,” Newton said Friday on ESPN’s First Take. “I said that about the Commanders. I’m also going to say that about the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“They’re undefeated. Let’s cite those wins. New York Jets, the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, which is still up in the air is that really a good team. I’m just keeping it a buck, I just don’t know yet.”
It sounds like Newton is only looking at the Steelers since Russell Wilson became the starter, which is strange. They have changed with Wilson under center, but only for the better. Their offense has done nothing but improve under Wilson. It isn’t like they’ve altered their offensive philosophy.
The Steelers have maintained that they want to be a tough, physical team. That was the case with Justin Fields at quarterback as well. Looking at their season as a whole, they’ve beaten some decent teams. The Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, and Denver Broncos all look like playoff teams at the moment, and the Steelers beat them, two of those wins coming on the road.
Of course, excuses can be made about any game. The Chargers were dealing with injuries. Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was playing in his first game since tearing his Achilles tendon. The Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix was suiting up for only his second NFL game.
None of that is the Steelers’ fault though. All they can do is control what they can control. The NFL gives them their schedule, and they have to beat whoever is in front of them. More often than not, they’ve done that this season. Continuing to raise the bar proves nothing.
These same things were said about the Steelers before they played the Commanders. The Steelers battled adversity and won that game. Despite that, nothing has changed in the eyes of their detractors. Now, the excuse is that the Commanders might not actually be a good team.
The point is that people are going to keep saying things like this. The Steelers weren’t seen as a definite playoff team going into this year, so it’s going to take a lot to change some people’s minds.
It’s likely they don’t care about any of this talk. They’re more focused on beating their next opponent, whether that’s a “good” or “bad” team. It’s still the NFL, and everyone is a professional. Wins aren’t easy to come by.
