By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com
This season has been impressive to say the least.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers rolling into Northwest Stadium and taking down the 7-2 Washington Commanders, it only shows that Mike Tomlin’s crew is ready to take the next step. I’m not entirely saying that the Steelers will go the full mile for their seventh Super Bowl, but the tide has risen over the watermark of just a playoff entry.
First off, let’s talk Russell Wilson and why, at the start of the season, I was happy to see him sideline, albeit, of course from a calf injury rather than a decision from the top brass. Growing up in New England under a die-hard, Jersey-born Giants patriarch, there was nothing I hated more than the New England Patriots. The G Men were the constant B Team in the area’s fandom and Pats fans certainly let us know. As such, nothing made me happier than seeing Tom Brady storm off the field as a loser – my Dad and I savored each step.
So when Wilson had a chance to beat Brady and the Patriots in 2015 on the biggest stage, I was vehemently cheering him on. Then, of course, came the interception where the then-Seahawk chose feeding his ego rather than earning a second ring. As the blue and red confetti rained down and Brady and Bill Belichick rose the Vince Lombardi trophy, my father and I were enraged. It’s a memory that still stings.
Flash forward almost a decade and that memory, coupled with the fact that Justin Fields led the Steelers to a 4-2 start to the season, made the quarterback change in week seven a little hard to swallow. However, three weeks later and I find myself not only accepting the QB swap, but embracing Wilson. At the end of the day, you have to reassure yourself that the pilot knows how to fly the plane – I’m speaking of Tomlin more so than Wilson.
This week, Wilson gave me plenty to cheer for. Throwing for 195 yards on 14-for-28 passing and three touchdowns, including two amazing tosses to the endzone to George Pickens and newcomer Mike Williams, he got the job done against the first serious competition in four weeks. Despite winning by a single point alongside a somewhat controversial call late in the game, the Steelers proved they could keep in toe with the league’s top tier teams.
With that being said, the road only gets harder from here.
Next up is the Yinzer’s divisional rivals, the 7-3 Baltimore Ravens. Having the highest quarterback rating in the NFL at 77.0, Lamar Jackson is a serious threat. So far, the Raven’s man under center has amassed 2,669 yards (second most in the league), 24 touchdowns (tied for first in the league with Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow) and given up only two interceptions. With that being said, I’ve yet to question the Steelers defense – hopefully TJ Watt gets to give Jackson a warm and up close welcome back to Acrisure Stadium come Sunday.
Looking at the offense for this week, the matchup looks optimistic on paper. The Ravens rank 26th in the NFL for stopping the passing game and 25th against the run. Knowing this, Wilson should have a field day through the air while running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren should be able to find the holes in the Raven’s trenches. My prediction: 24-18 Steelers.
Beyond the Ravens, Pittsburgh still has an uphill climb to end the season. They will get a short reprieve with matchups against the 2-7 Cleveland Browns and 4-6 Bengals, hopefully solidifying their place atop the AFC North for the first time since 2017. Then, they will have a tough three-week stretch, going head-to-head against the 7-2 Philadelphia Eagles, another contest against the Ravens in hostile territory and a Christmas game against the still undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
There’s no doubt the Steelers will see the postseason, but those three weeks will certainly test their perseverance. However, with Wilson, I have faith – although I may still have to fake it just a little.
