"I Think They're Falling Apart": Steelers Great Ben Roethlisberger Makes Bold Claim About Division Rival

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an exciting offseason, not only making a coaching regime change, but also making many big roster moves. While they have been making thrilling moves themselves however, so have some of their other division foes. The Cleveland Browns will likely still struggle this season, but they are coming off back-to-back excellent draft classes and also traded Myles Garrett for a nice haul of draft picks, plus Pro Bowler Jared Verse. The Cincinnati Bengals on the other hand, are finally starting to invest some money and draft capital into their defense, trading for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, and also making some big free agent signings. 

One team in the AFC North that doesn't seem to have a promising trajectory is the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are coming off a disappointing season where they finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs. Injuries to star players and a subpar defensive performance early on led to an awful start to the season for Baltimore -- one they weren't able to fully recover from. Now going into the 2026 season, things don't look much better, as they lost some key pieces on the offensive line, and have aging veterans on defense. MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson has had lots of injury problems in the past, and with a new look offensive line, he may be running for his life yet again this upcoming season.

Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger recently appeared on an episode of his show Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger, where he claims the Ravens aren't the same team. He believes that their window has closed with the roster they have, despite the coaching change. Roethlisberger has been full of hot takes lately, but this one may be one Steeler Nation agrees with. 

"I think they're falling apart," Roethlisberger stated. I really don't think they're the same team... These feel different. I feel like the window closed."

In 2024, the Ravens reached the AFC Championship game, where they narrowly lost to the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs. That season, they boasted the fourth-best defense in the NFL, and they were also fourth in points for and first in points against. Jackson also won his second MVP Award that season, making it debatably one of the best in franchise history. Since then, their defense has fallen apart, not being close to the same unit that held Patrick Mahomes to 17 points in a playoff game. 

Now Baltimore has a new coaching staff, so things could be different in 2026 (for better or worse). With Jesse Minter at the helm, their defense should have a schematic advantage over their opponents, but with aging veterans like Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey still being starters, they might have glaring weaknesses. The pass rush has also been weak, but they're hoping the signing of Trey Hendrickson, who is now 31 and had an injury-riddled 2025 season, can change that.

Steelers Need To Capitalize On Ravens' Potential Downfall

With the Ravens potentially going into a down period, it's a great time for Pittsburgh to capitalize. The Steelers have been in win-now mode for years and haven't won anything significant in the postseason. With the division being wide open in 2026, they will have a great opportunity to host a playoff game once again. They'll still have to worry about the Bengals, though, as if Joe Burrow can stay healthy, they could be a scary team in the AFC.

Cincinnati threw some money into the front seven and drafted edge rusher Cashius Howell in the second round, making the trenches a potentially respectable unit. They also signed Bryan Cook, a solid presence in the secondary who has won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs. The Steelers are still the team to beat in the AFC North, and while the Ravens may go through a down period, the Bengals could be a threat for the division. 

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