The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the top teams in the NFL right now, and could potentially secure a comfortable playoff spot ahead of the Super Bowl in February. Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his men are so far apart from the team that went 10-7 last season and lost in the first round against the Buffalo Bills. This team has been built to compete across the board, and could very much be on their way to a seventh Super Bowl championship if things go well for them.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin looks on in a Week 13 game in the 2024 regular season.
An All-Round Team Built for Playoff Success
If there's one thing you can't argue about this Steeler team, it's the fact that they boast one of the most formidable squads in the league right now.
Pittsburgh has improved greatly on offense compared to last season and betting on Russell Wilson to lead the team appears to have paid off. We’re probably witnessing the best Steelers offense since the Big Ben era, and it's largely due to Wilson. The Super Bowl XLVIII champion had a slumpy two years with the Denver Broncos, but has experienced a resurgence since moving to Pittsburgh in the summer. No. 3 may not be the explosive dual-threat quarterback we once knew him to be during his heydays with the Seattle Seahawks, but he has shown this season that he still has a lot left in the tank and can lead a team when surrounded by the right pieces.
While Wilson continues to breathe life into the offense, the Steelers have more than just him to thank. Kicker Chris Boswell has also continued his fine form, leading the league in field goals made, ahead of Houston’s Ka'imi Fairbairn and Washington’s Austin Seibert. Running back Najee Harris is on pace to continue his streak of at least 250 carries and 1,000 rush yards a season in his fourth year in Pittsburgh. Then there's Jaylen Warren who has been wearing down opponents all season long.
The Steelers also boast one of the best defensive units in the AFC led by Defensive Player of the Year contender TJ Watt and the likes of Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig. Former Green Bay Packers linebacker Preston Smith has also continued to prove his worth since joining the Steelers, and his off-season acquisition could prove instrumental to the team’s success in the playoffs. Not to mention cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety DeShon Elliott. This defense held the Ravens, ranked the best offense in the league, to just 16 points in Week 11, and should be able to stop any team they face in the playoffs.
Steelers Among Top Teams to Win the Super Bowl
The Steelers came into the season with one of the worst odds to win the Super Bowl (+5000). That has since changed and they now boast the eight best odds of winning it all in February. They hold the fourth-best odds of winning the AFC (behind the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens), and are second-favorites to win the AFC North (behind Baltimore).
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Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) and Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh (left) talk during warmups before the game at then-Heinz Field on September 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
If making it out of the AFC is tough, winning the Super Bowl will be tougher for the Steelers. The NFC’s Detroit Lions are statistically the best team this season and are the favorites to win it all in New Orleans. Then there's the Philadelphia Eagles who boast the best defense in the league and are top three in total offense stats this season.
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Steelers Can Win the Division
The battle for AFC North supremacy remains wide open, but the Steelers will hope to finish with the best record to face an easy opponent in the Wild Card round. Right now, Pittsburgh looks like the best team in the division, and the big win against the Ravens in Week 11 has put their destiny firmly in their hands.
Baltimore is likely to be the only threat to winning the division, but they have looked quite unconvincing at times this season. Elsewhere in the division, the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals have not looked like a threat. The Bengals continue to struggle despite Joe Burrow’s performances, while the Browns are almost certainly out of playoff contention.
Nevertheless, the race for the divisional title remains wide open, with the Steelers facing a tough schedule to end the year. Big matchups against each of their divisional rivals, defending champions Kansas City Chiefs, and a red-hot Philadelphia Eagles could swing the AFC North in different directions.
Steelers Can Finish Top Two in the AFC
A more daunting task for Pittsburgh would be finishing as the top seed in the AFC. While that is still in the picture, the more realistic and safer scenario for Pittsburgh would be securing the second spot in the AFC. As it stands, the Bills are the favorites to clinch the conference’s top seed, while the Chiefs, despite not being their best, have continued to scrap out wins.
If the Steelers could earn at least the second seed in the AFC, they would face the seventh seed, which could potentially be the Indianapolis Colts or Miami Dolphins. On paper, that's an easier win at home for Pittsburgh. Winning the Wild Card round as the second-seed could also potentially pit them against the Ravens or Texans in the second round, which is far more relieving than facing the Bills or the Chiefs.
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Patrick Mahomes throws the ball while the Steelers' defense rushes him.
On the contrary, if the Steelers finish third, they could face a Broncos team that has looked promising with rookie Bo Nix as the starting quarterback. While the Steelers are the better team in this matchup, a potential upset is very likely here.
The best case scenario will of course be clinching the first seed in the AFC to secure a bye into the Divisional Round. This would also guarantee home advantage throughout the playoffs and could prove useful when they inevitably face any of the AFC juggernauts like Baltimore, Kansas City, and Buffalo in the Conference Championship game.
