Important stretch begins for Steelers
By Dale Lolley
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
And here we go.
The Steelers head into a stretch in which they’ll play three times in 11 days against three very good teams – Philadelphia, Baltimore and Kansas City.
It’s a stretch of games everyone pointed to as a make-or-break part of the season for the Steelers when the schedule came out in May. With the Steelers sitting at 10-3 and holding a two-game lead within the division over the Ravens, that’s a little less so now, but they’re still three big games.
Given what’s happened to this point, if the Steelers win two of their final four games, as long as at least one of them comes in their two remaining games against AFC North opponents, then they’ll win the division and likely be no worse than the No. 3 seed in the AFC.
If they beat the Ravens in Baltimore Dec. 21, then they’ll clinch the division title no matter what happens in their other remaining three games. And the Steelers have beaten Baltimore in eight of their past nine meetings.
It’s all heady stuff already for a team that was picked by many to finish dead last in the AFC North.
But the Steelers have a good roster. They had a good roster in 2023, too, as general manager Omar Khan spent the offseason acquiring veteran talent to serve as backups on the roster.
What they didn’t have in 2023, however, was a quarterback who was not only taking care of the football, but also was capable of making opponents pay for their mistakes.
Say what you will about the combination of Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, but they didn’t make a lot of mistakes. Unfortunately, they also didn’t make a lot of plays, as that duo combined for nine touchdown passes in 15 games. Mitch Trubisky added four touchdown passes in the two games he started, to give the Steelers 13 touchdown passes for the season, but he also threw five interceptions, something the Steelers couldn’t overcome.
The win over the Browns last Sunday marked the 73rd game in Russell Wilson’s career in which he had at least two touchdown passes with no interceptions. That ties him with Peyton Manning for the fifth-most such games in NFL history.
And Wilson has thrown 12 touchdown passes with only three interceptions in seven starts.
He’ll need to continue that if the Steelers are to go far this season. But he’s shown he is capable.
• Some questioned the Steelers’ signing of Cam Heyward in the offseason to a contract extension that gave the 35-year-old two more seasons beyond this one to continue playing.
He was too old. He was washed up.
Wondering how that egg on their faces tastes?
Heyward has 55 tackles, which leads all NFL defensive tackles. He also has eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for a loss and eight batted passes, which leads all NFL defensive linemen.
Heyward hasn’t been mentioned in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year chatter, but in a season in which nobody is running away with that honor, perhaps he should be in the discussion.
According to Pro Football Focus, Heyward’s run-stopping grade is the best in the NFL among defensive linemen.
• There are some things on which you can always count. The sun rising, gravity and a James Franklin-coached team losing to a team ranked ahead of it are among them.
This week’s games
Steelers (plus 5) at Eagles: The Steelers haven’t won in Philadelphia since 1965. But that’s also only a span of 10 games, so it’s not particularly relevant. What is relevant is that the Philadelphia defense is playing well, though QB Jalen Hurts is not. If the Steelers can slow Saquon Barkley – good luck – and keep Hurts in the pocket, they can win. The Steelers’ three losses have come by a combined 11 points. Take the Eagles, 24-16.
Ravens (minus 15) at Giants: This is a huge number, but the Giants are all banged up and the Ravens are coming off their bye week. Will they get caught looking past this game to a matchup next week with the Steelers? Perhaps. Will it matter? Probably not. Take the Ravens, 38-13.
Bengals (minus 5) at Titans: If not for a Dallas player touching a deflected punt last week, the Bengals likely lose against the Cowboys. Now, they have a short week on the road. The defense isn’t fixed. And they just do things that cost them against good teams. But the Titans are not a good team. Take the Bengals, 26-20.
Chiefs (minus 6½) at Browns: The Chiefs don’t blow anyone out, hence 10 of their 12 wins have been by one score or less. When a team shows you who it is over the course of 13 games, believe it. And Jameis Winston at home, where he’s beaten the Ravens and Steelers, is different than Jameis Winston on the road. Upset time. Take the Browns, 24-23.
Bills (plus 2½) at Lions: Detroit’s defense is all kinds of banged up. But Buffalo’s defense just had issues defending the Rams. And Detroit’s offense is even more explosive. You never like going against Josh Allen, who is playing like Superman right now, but in this case, it’s hard to pick against Detroit at home. Take the Lions, 34-31.
Last week: 3-2 ATS; 4-1 Straight up
Overall: 41-30 ATS; 50-21 Straight up
Dale Lolley hosts The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.