“The Pittsburgh Steelers got last place written all over them,” said ESPN Analyst Stephen A. Smith. This comment came just before Week One when Smith and plenty of others were quick to rule the Steelers out of any sort of playoff conversation. Now, at their Bye Week, the Steelers sit at 6-2 and No. 1 in the AFC North.
While the record to this point does not guarantee the Steelers as a playoff team, it shows plenty of optimism that they are a competitor in the AFC. As we all know though, the second half of the schedule for Pittsburgh is incredibly daunting, much more so than the first half.