Steelers Still Clinging In Competitive AFC North
Oct 20, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu (43) returns a fumble past Houston Texans wide receiver Keshawn Martin (82) during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers won a wild one on Monday night against the Houston Texans. It wasn’t quite a far cry from where they were last Sunday when they lost to the Cleveland Browns – there were some moments of brilliance, some moments of solid play, and many moments of needed improvement.
Sadly, this win places no more definition about who this team really is than at any other point yet in 2014. The Texans were as much a struggling on an off team as the Steelers. Was this just one of those down nights for the Texans? To say as much would take away the mental toughness the Steelers showed when they were down 13-0 late in the first half and their backs were against a wall with a 3-4 record staring them in the face. The win puts the Steelers on the positive side of .500 with a 4-3 record. This was an important win because the Steelers have two very difficult games coming up over the next two weeks. They now sit in third place above the Browns and are at least staying competitive in the AFC North.
The Bengals and Browns both lost on Sunday. The Bengals were blanked by the Colts (the Steelers next opponent) and are beginning to falter a bit after a strong start to the season. The Browns, who after I said are showing no signs of an impending implosion, have begun their seasonal implosion after a loss against the winless Jaguars. These losses put the Steelers smack in the middle of this division. The Ravens have taken two in a row now in a pair of impressive wins. They sit at the top of the AFC North and have two divisional opponents the next two weeks – Bengals and Steelers. The only way the Steelers can begin to catch the Ravens is to have a little help from the other teams in the division as well as helping their own cause.
If the Steelers can squeak out a win against the Colts, defeat the Ravens, and have the Bengals take their game against the Ravens, the division will flip flop around. The Steelers could potentially be 6-3, at the top of the division and feeling good before going up against the Jets and Titans. Not a bad place and situation to find one’s self before heading into what will be a much needed bye. The AFC North could be one of the more interesting divisions to keep an eye on this season, and hopefully for Steeler Nation, this team will be one reason why.
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