The Pittsburgh Steelers came into this season harboring high expectations. They made a lot of moves this offseason while aiming to become Super Bowl contenders. Much of that is starting to pay off, too. The Steelers are in first place in their division. While there’s a lot of the season left, the rest of the AFC North is dealing with a lot of problems. However, analyst Bill Simmons still holds a negative opinion of the Steelers.
“Baltimore, Cincy, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, that’s the new AFC South,” Simmons said recently on his podcast. “Those teams all suck. 9-8 is probably gonna win that. Pittsburgh fans will be like, ‘No, we don’t suck, we’re really good.’ No, you’re not. You don’t have a good team.”
Most of the teams in the AFC North are struggling right now. The Cleveland Browns are 1-4 and rebuilding once again. The Cincinnati Bengals are going to be without Joe Burrow for most of the year, and as a result, their playoff chances seem slim. While the Baltimore Ravens were a Super Bowl contender, they’re 1-4 right now, just trying to keep their head above water.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are 3-1. That doesn’t mean they don’t have issues, though. Their offense has shown flashes, but it still has question marks, such the run game and wide receiver depth.
Also, the Steelers’ defense hasn’t been perfect. On paper, that unit looks like it should be one of the league’s best. However, to start the year, it was one of the Steelers’ biggest weaknesses. It’s gotten better as the season has progressed, but the Steelers’ defense still hasn’t shown enough to be totally trusted.
The rest of the AFC has problems, too. The Buffalo Bills just suffered their first loss of the season. The Los Angeles Chargers started hot, but they’ve lost their last two games. Even the Kansas City Chiefs, who built a dynasty with Patrick Mahomes, are 2-2 ahead of their Monday Night Football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
There are reasons to criticize every team. The important part is that the Steelers have continued to win, despite their flaws. Whether Simmons thinks they’re good or not, the Steelers have been the best team in their division. If they keep that up, they will make the playoffs, and maybe they’ll even win a postseason game. Perhaps then they’ll be a “good” team.
