After Week 13, the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting pretty in the AFC North. Not only did they kick the Cincinnati Bengals down the ladder, but the Baltimore Ravens also lost. They still aren’t guaranteed the crown in their division, but if Russell Wilson continues to play like he did this week, they should be fine. Wilson had one of his best games as a pro, picking the Bengals apart. His performance has caused analyst Kay Adams to buy into the Steelers as a Super Bowl contender.
“Russell [Wilson] was lights out,” Adams said Monday on her show, Up and Adams. “They can win the Super Bowl with this Russell Wilson. They are beyond a Super Bowl contender. They are a sexy little pick right there.
“If you were one of the people [saying] they can’t make it into the playoffs because of Russell Wilson, I’d like to know if yesterday changed your mind or if you’re gonna hang your hat on the Bengals’ defense just being that terrible. I don’t agree.”
After the way they played this week, it isn’t crazy to say the Steelers could win the Super Bowl. Their defense had issues, but they still made splash plays. In a surprising turn of events, their offense won them the game, beating the Bengals in a shootout.
Wilson deserves a lot of the credit for that victory, too. He threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns. His lone interception probably should’ve also been called back due to a penalty. That version of Wilson can power the Steelers to the Super Bowl.
Part of the reason that’s plausible is that he’s done it before. Wilson helped the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl by playing like that. Their defense led them, but when they needed someone to pick them up, Wilson was there. That’s similar to the way the Steelers are right now.
It’s also not like the AFC has any truly dominant teams. The Kansas City Chiefs are 11-1, but they look beatable. The Steelers have already beaten the Ravens. The Buffalo Bills look like the best team in the AFC, and even then, they haven’t been perfect. If they win the AFC North, the Steelers should have a good chance of making it out of the AFC.
That probably hinges on Wilson’s level of play, though. While Adams doesn’t want to discredit Wilson, he played against a terrible defense this week. In the playoffs, teams might come after him more. It might still be a little early to anoint them. If Wilson has another performance like this before the season ends, though, it might be tough to argue against Adams’ point.
The Steelers will have more chances to prove themselves. They have to avenge their loss to the Cleveland Browns this week, but they’ll have a tough stretch after that. Over the next couple of weeks, we should get a better sense of how legit they are.
