Week 13 was perhaps the most complete game the Pittsburgh Steelers have played all year. Their defense had some issues, but they still created splash plays. It was their offense that was the real surprise, torching the Cincinnati Bengals. That version of the Steelers looked like a true Super Bowl contender. For as good as they have been, analyst Chris Simms believes they still have more potential to unlock.
“The Steelers and the Packers are the two teams that I stare at, back to our old saying of, ‘They are who they are,’ Simms said Wednesday on Chris Simms Unbuttoned. “Those are two teams that I look at, one in each conference, that I go, I don’t think they are who they are totally yet. They could be better. They’re on a trending upward scale, going that way. We’ll see if they can continue that.”
To make it clear, Simms isn’t insulting the Steelers or saying anything negative about them. He’s just saying they haven’t played their best football yet. That probably isn’t untrue either. The Steelers played great against the Bengals, but they still need to clean some things up.
For instance, their offense was firing on all cylinders, but their defense had an uncharacteristically weak day. Stopping that offense was always going to be a tough task, but the Steelers’ defensive efforts didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
The Steelers’ offense also probably isn’t just magically fixed after that game. Not to take anything away from that group, but the Bengals’ defense isn’t the toughest unit in the league. It might be a little early to totally trust the Steelers’ offense.
However, none of that is necessarily bad, like Simms says. No team is perfect, and despite their flaws, the Steelers are 9-3. They’re the best team in the AFC North, and they could be even better. There’s reason to believe they can reach that potential too. The Steelers have continued to improve as the season goes on.
They’ll have opportunities to test their mettle too. Their remaining schedule is no cakewalk. Against teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, they’ll be tested. Iron sharpens iron. Those matchups should help them prepare for the playoffs. If you get in the dance, anything can happen. If the Steelers iron out some of their wrinkles, they could seriously compete for a championship.
