Can Anybody Stop The Pittsburgh Steelers This Season?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been sensational so far in 2017. Despite some fairly sub-par quarterback play from Ben Roethlisberger early on in the campaign, Mike Tomlin’s side are now 10-2 on the year and plenty of punters are tipping the Steelers to go all the way to the Super Bowl. With Big Ben, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell now starting to hit top form, you wouldn’t bet against another Pittsburgh triumph.
For the best part of five years, Pittsburgh’s offense has ranked highly as one of the strongest and most effective in the sport. Bell leads the league in rushing yards with 1,057 out of the backfield and then an additional 500 through the air. Meanwhile, Brown is top of the receiving category with 1,296 yards. Both men will be crucial for Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl race – especially if Big Ben maintains his own form.
• Ben reached 50,000 passing yards— Fran Garro (@FranGarro_) December 5, 2017
• Brown has now the most catches in a 5-year span for any WR in NFL history
• Bell recorded his 2nd straight season with 1000 yds (third of his career)
• Bell reached 7,500 yds from scrimmage in 59 games (fewest ever)
KILLER B'S BABY🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Io24NBkWeO
Don’t forget about Pittsburgh’s newfound prowess on defense either. The Steelers are now blessed with one of the elite defensive units in the National Football League – although the injury to cornerback Joe Haden has hurt Tomlin’s side in recent weeks. As of December 5th, Pittsburgh have the second best record against the pass, allowing less than 200 yards per game, and the fourth-best total defense.
They aren’t quite at “Iron Curtain” status but Pittsburgh are certainly in the mix for Super Bowl glory, especially as they may end up pipping the New England Patriots to the number one seed in the AFC Conference. The defending Super Bowl champions have an incredible postseason record at Gillette Stadium but they are prone to slipping up on the road. Tomlin will be determined to guide his team to the top seed.
Whether the Steelers head into the playoffs as first seeds or not, one thing is for sure: this Pittsburgh outfit is set up to triumph in the winter. Tomlin knows that Bell is capable of carrying this offense but playmakers out wide, namely Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Martavis Bryant, are all competent options in the receiving game. It would certainly take a brave man to back against the Steelers, even if it is away from Heinz Field.
At the time of writing, Pittsburgh are on a seven-match winning run and that clash with the Patriots midway through December could decide the destiny of the AFC. According to odds for NFL betting on bet365, the Steelers are a 5/1 shot to win the Super Bowl this year – a tasty price for Pittsburgh fans. It looks like a two-horse race for glory in the AFC and the home-field advantage could turn out to be huge.
Mike Tomlin is a man on a mission and this Pittsburgh side are well equipped to lay down a serious challenge for a shot at the Super Bowl. Injuries hindered the Steelers last year but Bell, Brown, and Big Ben are all healthy this time around, and there is an obvious difference in momentum. Watch this space; the Steelers mean business and another championship ring could be on the cards.
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