For the past few years, the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t met their franchise’s standard. They haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. However, this season, they made a push to become Super Bowl contenders again. While not many analysts believed in the Steelers’ chances at a championship, they’re 3-1 and in control of the AFC North. Because of that, former Steelers wide receiver Ernie Mills, who also played for the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, believes in Pittsburgh as a contender.
“I watch the Steelers,” Mills said recently on Johan Griffin’s YouTube channel. “I watch the Cowboys as well, but I’ve probably been to more Steeler games since I finished than Cowboys.
“I think the Steelers are currently [contenders] based off of the situation that’s going on in their conference. Dallas probably got a little tougher road. Philly, Washington, gotta go through those guys. I think both have a chance to make the playoffs. I’m uncertain how far they would go.”
Mills was with the Steelers from 1991-1996. He helped them get to the Super Bowl during the 1995 season, so he’s aware of what a contending Steelers team looks like.
While Mills isn’t extremely confident in the Steelers’ chances at winning the Super Bowl this season, he’s correct that there doesn’t seem to be one dominant team in the AFC. The Buffalo Bills look like the favorite, but even they have serious problems, losing their most recent game to the New England Patriots. Other teams, like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, have yet to find their footing, too.
Also, the Steelers’ division looks much weaker than initially anticipated. The Cleveland Browns are what most people expected them to be, but the Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals have been disappointing. Injuries have played a role in that, but that shouldn’t count as a knock against the Steelers. If they don’t totally collapse, they should have a solid shot of capturing the AFC North crown.
It’s fair to wonder how far the Steelers could go in the playoffs, too. At this point, they’ve only played four games. A lot could change between now and the playoffs starting. However, the Steelers are set to play some of the better teams in the league soon, such as the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers.
Those games should help paint a picture of what the Steelers’ ceiling is. As things stand now, though, they look like they could make some noise in the playoffs.
