The Steelers head into their BYE week at 6-2, and that alone would have sounded pretty good back in early August. However they got there, that record puts Pittsburgh in a strong spot with nine games left, and now the conversation shifts to what comes next for the Black and Gold.
There’s a case to be made that this team is only beginning to hit its stride. A win in Cincinnati right after the BYE is far from a wild idea.
The trip to Philadelphia is tougher - the Steelers haven’t won there since Lyndon Johnson was President - but it’s still one they can realistically circle as possible. And with Baltimore missing its top two quarterbacks, the two games against the Ravens don’t look as intimidating as they once did.
Even so, Ravens games never come easy.
Carolina also appears more manageable now, given its issues defending and its stagnant offense. Put those together, and it’s fair to ask whether Pittsburgh could climb all the way to 11 or 12 wins.
Still, there’s reason to keep the brakes on a little. The road game at Jacksonville looks like the toughest one left based on current events.
Denver and Houston both come to Pittsburgh, and neither should be treated lightly. Houston, in particular, is still the same team that came into Pittsburgh last year and beat the Steelers in the Wild-Card Game.
Then there are the final two games: at Tennessee and at Baltimore. On paper, both seem like matchups that should lean toward wins.
But the Steelers also have to survive the wear and tear that comes with the final stretch, and injuries will matter. If they can stay away from the major ones, they should be in good shape.
Of course, there’s a familiar warning label here. The Steelers have been in this position before, with strong starts that ended in first-round exits.
The big difference, as the source points out, is that this is Mike McCarthy’s staff and not Mike Tomlin’s. Whether that changes the ending over the next nine weeks is the real question.
In Other News...
Steelers Just Showed How Much Trust Rodgers Really Has
The Steelers offense has been built around giving Aaron Rodgers room to operate, but the latest example came in a spot where most teams would be content to take the safe points and head to the locker room. Against Cleveland, Pittsburgh lined up with no timeouts and only a few seconds left before halftime, then leaned on the quarterbacks experience to sort through a prepared option rather than forcing a rigid call from the sideline.
Mike McCarthy confirmed Rodgers was the one who made the decision, which says plenty about how much freedom the Steelers are willing to hand him in high-pressure moments. It also underscored the kind of trust that can shape an offense late in halves and in tight games, when the margin between caution and aggression often comes down to whether the quarterback can be trusted to choose the right answer on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Win Couldnt Hide One Receiver Problem Anymore
The Steelers kept rolling in Week 8 with a win over the Browns, stretching their streak to four straight and giving the offense another chance to build on some real momentum. Even so, the passing game still had a familiar rough edge, with the receiver group once again leaving plays on the field at a time when Pittsburgh could use cleaner execution to support its winning run.
Drops have become hard to ignore, and the frustration is only growing as the Steelers try to sort out how much help this offense still needs at wideout. With the trade market already buzzing around possible targets, the conversation is shifting from whether Pittsburgh can win games to whether it can keep doing so without adding more reliable playmakers for its quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Blowout Still Exposed A Goal-Line Problem Fans Know Too Well
The Steelers had plenty to like in their 27-6 win over Cleveland, especially the way they controlled the game on the ground and piled up 200 rushing yards. Jaylen Warren led the charge with 143 yards on 17 carries, giving Pittsburgh a physical edge that helped offset an uneven day for Aaron Rodgers, who finished 13 of 25 for 172 yards with one interception.
Still, the victory did not fully erase a familiar frustration near the goal line. Mike McCarthy was openly bothered by a red-zone sequence deep in Browns territory that ended without a touchdown, a reminder that even in a blowout, Pittsburghs offense can still leave points on the field in the spots that matter most. [Read more 🡒]