Steelers Remain In Top 10 In Recent Power Rankings Despite Loss

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off their loss of the season, 27-24, to the Indianapolis Colts. 

Pittsburgh sits atop the AFC North at 3-1. Despite the loss, the Steelers had their best offensive game of the season, with Justin Fields passing for 312 yards, a mark Pittsburgh did not hit all of last season, and a touchdown to go along with the team rushing for 122 yards and two more touchdowns. This was their first game with three touchdowns scored since December 31, 2023. 

The Steelers are still ranked in the top ten in the league, according to NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, after being ranked ninth before their loss.

“There will be a lot of quarterback talk this week because that remains a story until Mike Tomlin makes some sort of definitive longer-term call on Justin Fields and Russell Wilson,” Edholm said. “But the Steelers can look first at their defense as the reason they lost for the first time this season. Two different Colts quarterbacks shredded them on Sunday, including Joe Flacco in his first action this season.”

“Against a Steelers defense that was tops in the league in third-down performance, Flacco hit on six of eight passes for 72 yards and two TDs on money downs. The Colts converted eight of their 15 third downs on the day, including four on third-and-7 or longer. Fields was far more good than bad, although a disastrous sack-fumble cost Pittsburgh in the third quarter. That and a high snap were huge plays that prevented what could have been a huge comeback.”

There is bound to be speculation about the quarterback situation, but for now, it appears Fields will remain the starter in Pittsburgh’s Week 5 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The Steelers’ defense is bound to bounce back from this performance, but this will be the team’s toughest opponent of the early season.

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