Fans are likely aware that it’s been a long time since the Pittsburgh Steelers won a Super Bowl. In the 2000s, they managed to capture two championships, but since then, they’ve come up empty. This year that could change. Analyst Colin Cowherd believes the Steelers resemble those championship teams of not-so-distant past and could make a push in the playoffs.
“Russell [Wilson], between the deep ball and the movement, he gives them a little creativity,” Cowherd said recently on his podcast. “By the way, when Ben [Roethlisberger] was younger and moved well, he gave them the deep ball and the ability to create. I’m not saying Russell is Big Ben in his prime, but it does look a little bit like those teams.”
It might sound like a stretch to compare this year’s Steelers to the teams that won Super Bowls, but it might not be so crazy. Wilson might not be Roethlisberger, but he can make plays and elevate their offense. Their defense is one of the best in the NFL. Their playmakers on offense are starting to get hot. The Steelers have the pieces to potentially win a championship.
Still, it might be a little early to give them this kind of praise. They did look impressive when they beat the Cincinnati Bengals, but the week before, they lost to the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers still have some weaknesses they need to shore up.
The most glaring issue the Steelers still have is their red-zone offense. They put up a lot of points against the Bengals, but not every touchdown came in the red zone. In fact, they ended up going two-for-four on scoring touchdowns in the red zone. That’s better than they had been, but it did come against a weak Bengals defense.
That game was a step in the right direction. If the Steelers can come out this week and do similar things offensively, then it might be safer to say they can really compete for a Super Bowl. They’re facing the Browns, whose defense just gave them fits. Seeing some consistency from the Steelers should inspire confidence.
Obviously, there are other differences between this team and the Steelers of the 2000s, but at they are similar at their core: a run-first offense that can rely on its quarterback when needed and more defined by their defenses. We’ll see if these Steelers can continue to channel the spirit of those legendary teams.
