Since Week 1 of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have continued to defy the expectations of analysts and the league itself, earning more and more respect as time goes on.
The Steelers are at a different level from where they were projected in the offseason, rolling their way to a 6-2 record after having to start Justin Fields for the first six games before Russell Wilson was cleared to go. It’s been a combination of dominant defense and surprising offense that has left them atop the AFC North.
ESPN released their latest NFL power rankings for Week 10, and despite not playing this weekend, the Steelers moved up a spot to No. 7 in the league with the Green Bay Packers dropping. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor wrote about the upcoming schedule for Pittsburgh, noting that the Week 16 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens is the most important game remaining for them.
“The Steelers don’t play an AFC North team until their first meeting with the Ravens in Week 11, but they exit their Week 9 bye still ahead of Baltimore,” Pryor wrote. “Every divisional game is important — especially for a team that hasn’t played any — but beating the Ravens could go a long way in division and playoff seeding. It also sets the tone for a potentially pivotal meeting with the Chiefs on Christmas Day four days later.”
The schedule doesn’t get easier for the Steelers and won’t be any time soon, but this team has shown they’re able to take on the biggest challenges thus far. They’ll get to show that on Sunday when they return to the gridiron to face the Washington Commanders.
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