Where Do Steelers Stand In Week 5 Power Rankings?

Don’t look now, but things are going pretty well for the Pittsburgh Steelers entering a much-needed Week 5 bye.

The Steelers rolled into Dublin, Ireland, and took care of business against the Minnesota Vikings, 24-21, and now sit at 3-1 on the season. The performance at Croke Park also happened to be the Steelers’ most complete game of the year. They ran the ball very well, the quick passing game was effective with Aaron Rodgers, and the defense was suffocating for much of the game, shutting down the Vikings’ running attack and generating a great deal of pressure.

With struggles elsewhere within the AFC North, the Steelers are sitting pretty entering the bye week, getting some much-needed time off. They’re also starting to garner some respect around the NFL media landscape, climbing a number of spots in the Week 5 power rankings.

Below is a chart of aggregate power rankings from several major outlets.

It hasn’t always been pretty, but the Steelers found ways to win football games in September. They had a number of players who didn’t go through preseason action, so the early portion of the season was about getting up to speed, executing assignments and jelling as a team.

That they were able to do that while dealing with a number of injuries and still finding ways to win games was pretty impressive. Now, after the win in Ireland in which they looked quite good on both sides of the football, things are really looking up for the Black and Gold.

For CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco, the Steelers took the biggest leap in his power rankings, climbing nine spots to get inside the top 10.

“Mike Tomlin has done a great job getting this team to 3-1,” Prisco writes. “In a division where the other three teams have issues, the Steelers just might win the AFC North.”

They currently sit atop of the AFC North after the Cincinnati Bengals were blown out Monday night in Denver, and with the number of injuries across the board in the division, the Steelers have a path forward to really take control of the division. 

That starts post-bye week as the Steelers host the Cleveland Browns before then playing the Bengals on a short week on Thursday Night Football.

Win both of those games and the Steelers are in a great spot not only within the AFC North but within the league as well.

The bye week is a good time to get as healthy as possible for the rest of the season. Getting some key players back and getting a chance to make some subtle changes and adjustments during the week off could really propel the Steelers forward in a season that is starting to look very good on the North Shore.