Steelers are improving, but do not buy any Super Bowl tickets yet: Schedule tougher in Dec.



… many positives since woeful 1-2-1 start

At the start of the season, I was concerned that the AFC-North teams were playing the NFC-South teams in the cross-over games. That meant facing QBs like Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and Matt Ryan … along with a Bucs team that was supposed to be improving.

However, as the season has turned out, the Falcons, who should have won the Super Bowl a few years ago, have really regressed, and the Bucs, who were impressive with wins over the Saints and Eagles in their first two games, have regressed and lost five of their last six.

Still, that means that the Steelers have to deal with a much tougher schedule in the second half of the season than in the first. We do not have two games against the Browns in that span. Nothing close.

December is not a favorable month

The Steelers will have to face the first of the tougher QBs when the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton come to town on Thursday night. The Panthers have been inconsistent, having incredibly lost to the Falcons and to the Redskins while building a 6-2 record. However, they have not played a very tough schedule either, facing the NFC North, which has only one team with a winning record: Washington.

So, their wins have been over the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Bucs, Ravens, and Bengals. So, our schedules thus far have been similar, which makes for an interesting matchup, albeit one that may be tougher than any team the Steelers have faced other than the Chiefs.

The tough part of the Steelers’ road is in December when they face a four-week stretch which starts with the Chargers on Dec. 2 and includes back-to-back matchups against two of the 2018 powers, the Patriots and then the Saints. That is followed by a season-ending battle with the Bengals that could be for the AFC-North title.

NFL right now

The top four teams in the NFL right now, in my estimation, are the Rams, the Chiefs, the Saints, and the Patriots. If I were picking right now, those would be the teams in the NFC and AFC title games. However, everyone knows that it is too early and kind of crazy to even think about that right now.

The Super Bowl that I would love to see this year would be the Rams against the Chiefs. Two of the youngest and most promising young QBs in the league. That would be exciting. However, a Brady-Brees matchup would also be exciting. A win would be a fabulous culmination to a record-setting season by Brees.

Go as far as Ben will take them

So, do the Steelers have a shot in the postseason? Of course. They have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, though they are just a half-game ahead of the Bengals. That is why that stretch of games in December is so important.

I have said that the Steelers will go as far as Ben can carry them, and I stand by that. The defense is still shaky in spots, and we have not face a top QB except for Mahones. That is about to change.

However, the wild card in all runs to the playoffs is injuries. When number 7 went down yesterday, a collective sigh went through Steeler Nation — though Josh Dobbs came in a threw a fabulous pass to get a key first down late in the game.

So, if Roethlisberger goes down, that changes the dynamic. There is one other wild card for Pittsburgh.

The Bell distraction factor

While the trade deadline has passed, the Steelers still have a number of choices for dealing with him. First, allowing him to dress for any games will be a major distraction. They have to avoid this.

First, they can refuse to sign the $14+ million tender that they offered him earlier this year. That would allow them to franchise him for another year and he could not enter the free market.

However, they do not want to deal with him any longer. James Conner has made a statement that he can do the job as well as Bell can, with significantly less turmoil. So, they really do not need him.

Finally, the linemen were outraged when Bell did not show up earlier this year. They were very outspoken about how they felt about him. This has not changed. Having him around would be a distraction to their postseason hopes.

Here are some of the quotes about Bell from linemen after yesterday's win over the Ravens:

“I love playing with Conner. I don’t have anything to say about Le’Veon. I don’t even know what shape he is in right now.”

... Left Tackle: Alejandro Villanueva in the Post-Gazette

“Honestly, no one cares anymore. Why would I? I don’t want to waste the energy. I have to block some of the best players on the best defense in the world. Do you think I’m going to worry about a guy who’s not here?”

... Guard David DeCastro from NFL.com

Suspend him

Or, they could suspend him for six games for missing the preseason and most of the regular season. That way he could not even show up at the games. I think that the linemen would appreciate that -- as would most of the rest of the team.

I kind of like that idea.

Regardless, they have to rid themselves of this distraction down the stretch.

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