At one point, it looked like the Pittsburgh Steelers playoff hopes were completely shot, but if they can upset the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9, then they will be in the playoff picture for the first time this season.
Even when Ben Roethlisberger was healthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers looked nothing like a playoff team. But it is worth noting that they’ve lost to some of the NFL’s best teams this season. While the New England Patriots dominated them 33-3 in Week 1, they were able to hold the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Baltimore Ravens to one-score games. Each of those three teams has a legit shot at winning the Super Bowl this season.
The Steelers have their issues at quarterback, but they are also coming off back-to-back victories. Pittsburgh has gotten the job done against teams they are supposed to beat, owning wins over the woeful Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins, as well as the even more disappointing Los Angeles Chargers.
But in order to prove that they are more than just a mediocre team, they need to beat a quality important. In Week 9, Mike Tomlin’s team will get that opportunity against the Indianapolis Colts, who lead the AFC South with a 5-2 record behind Jacoby Brissett’s extraordinary play at the quarterback position.
A win for Pittsburgh would make a huge statement. Not only would it give them a 4-4 record that would put them in a competitive position for a Wild Card spot and solidify their place as the second-best team in the AFC North, but it would also prove to the NFL that they do have the quality to beat a good team after coming close three times this season.
Most of the focus on the Steelers has been on the offensive side of the ball, either because of offseason departures or Roethlisberger’s injury. The reality is that if the Steelers are going to be competitive this season after a slow start, they will need to go back to the old days and rely on their defense.
Right now, the Steelers defense is 10th in the league in yards per game allowed, 11th in net yards per pass attempt surrendered, and sixth in yards per carry given up. Those are above-average marks, but because the Steelers offense is so limited under quarterback Mason Rudolph, the defense will need to make some more improvements.
That’s especially true against a well-coached team like Indianapolis, who have an exceptional decision-maker at the quarterback position. Brissett can keep the chains moving without making mistakes, which means the Steelers, who are second in the NFL in turnovers forced, will have to be at their best to stop him.
If the Steelers can do that, receive effective game management from Rudolph, and inflict a little more damage with their wide receivers to open things up for James Conner on the ground, then this team could pull off an upset victory. And such a victory would signal a return to playoff contention for the Steelers.
No, Pittsburgh wouldn’t be playoff favorites with a quarterback like Rudolph and a host of questions on both sides of the ball. But beating the Colts would be a huge deal. At 4-4, the Steelers would have a fighting chance and would suddenly be a team that others in the AFC would no longer look at as a cakewalk matchup.