The Pittsburgh Steelers come into the bye week at 3-3; a huge relief to Steeler Nation after a 1-3 start. The season has been one filled with ups and downs. No game has been an “easy” one—then again, this is the NFL… not BIG10 or SEC teams taking on the MAC and Sunbelt teams…
This week in Yay or Nay, it’s all feedback from the fans! Instead of trying to get your feedback AND some predictions, we’re going to look at certain aspects of the team and you determine… yay or nay!
The offensive line and run game are going in the right direction—but has a long way to go
I personally feel like the arrow is beginning to point up for the offense. They can establish a ground game in some capacity, are able to avoid making big mistakes, and have put 20+ points on the board in back-to-back weeks. This certainly isn’t stellar but after three consecutive weeks of 17 or fewer points, we'll take what we can get.
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Ben Roethlisberger is playing steady and managing the game
There is no disputing that Ben Roethlisberger's best years are behind him. His mobility is just about gone, his arm isn’t quite as powerful as it once was, but he is doing what needs to be done: manage the game and don’t make big mistakes. Having an up-ticking run game has been a big factor in all of this. However, there have been moments where he has missed throws, reads, and made some questionable throws… does he have enough to get through the rest of the season?
The defense needs to improve—especially in up-front production
I’m sorry, but this defense has underwhelmed. Big time. They got gashed by the Seahawks and let them back in the game—before TJ Watt got loose and made the big plays in overtime. Everyone is talking about the lack of splash plays, but there have been moments where the plays simply aren’t made. The front line misses Stephon Tuitt immensely—but there’s no telling if he will even play this year. Can this front 7 start producing better as a whole unit?
James Washington HAS to be involved more
With JuJu Smith-Schuster being done for the year, you’d think this means bigger snap counts for James Washington. Instead, he only got 8 snaps last week. I’m not saying he is an All-Pro receiver, but good lord… what’s going on? They can’t find a role for him or something? He is a steady receiver and that’s all we need at this point.
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This team can make the playoffs
Don’t stop believing? If I had told you our offense was mediocre (but improving) and the defense wasn’t quite as sharp… and we were going into the bye week at 3-3, would you have been surprised? If the season ended after Week 6, the Steelers would be in the postseason. This team has winnable games coming up before it gets ramped up in intensity. So you’re telling me there’s a chance…
Are the Steelers playoff bound this season? Click to comment below!
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