If yesterday taught us anything....

...it's that NO team can be considered being a clear favorite at this point, and almost no team can be considered out of it, including the Steelers.

The teams who were once considered the favs have been knocked down.

KC - Obviously. Not only did Pgh beat them, they did so on their turf, and KC is appropriately considered one of the hardest places for opponents to succeed. Not only did Pgh win, they had their offense completely stymied for much of the game. They were held to 3 points for a long time, and even those 3 points were not on the D, as our returners didn't know the free kick was a live ball. (Poor coaching?) KC will still make some noise, but Reid teams usually fail in the playoffs. We are only one game behind them, as hard as that is to believe.

GB - No Rogers, no hope.

NE - In the mix, but far from unbeatable. Gronk re-emerged this week, but I have little faith he will stay healthy moving forward. Maybe for a bit, but not for the entire season. OL is a little weak. D is nowhere near what they were.

Oak - Overrated, even with Carr. D is too weak. Beast mode will falter down the stretch.

Den - That QB is just not good enough and it showed last night. Elway, of all people, should know better.

Balt - Offense is in shambles. I don't see them doing much.

Jags - Pretenders at this point (even though we found a way to lose to them). They are still a team on the rise, with that D and Fournette. But will they really be a threat to make noise in playoffs? Doubt it.

Dallas - Lots of holes on D, Zeke gone for 6 weeks. Tough schedule. Could still make the playoffs though.

Philly - One of the truly best teams, but can be beat (although not usually by Pgh. I hate when we play them.)

Hous - Since Watson has been in there, one of the more explosive teams. JJ being gone hurts. On an exciting track, we will see.

Falcons - It won't be their year. Super Bowl hangover hitting them.

Steelers - Nice win, but we could lose as soon as this week vs. Cinci, who has come to life a bit. If we can lose to Bears and Jags, we can lose to Cinci. But the point is, we are right in the mix of a dozen or so teams that have a shot.

 

This entire season is Jekyll and Hyde....... buffalo has wins against Atlanta and Denver, but can't beat cincy.....
Speaking of denver.... completely dominant against dallas and smoked against a depleted 0-5 giants team......
The patriots were a referee assist away from losing to the jets......
The saints, all of a sudden are sporting a strong defense
The list goes on........ pretty much every team in the league not named cleveland and San Francisco has hope

 

Parity?

 

Jags are pretty much like the Dolphins last year. Up and coming, game-changing RB with a QB that is very limited along with a solid, above average defense. If the Steelers and Jaguars should meet in the playoffs, the game would be much different, IMO.

All of sudden, the Lions and Packers don't look so formidable... while the Texans are absolutely scary with Watson. December is going to be brutal for the Steelers if Watson doesn't hit the rookie wall. Patriots and Texans in consecutive weeks.

 

Lions vs jags super bowl ?

 

The Steelers pretty much at this point just need to worry about finishing ahead of either the Chiefs or Pats. No team in the South will finish with a better record then the Steelers it just won't happen. You have the tiebreaker over the Chiefs now get that over the Pats and stay even or right with them and the road to the Super Bowl has a great chance of going through Heinz Field. I think the Steelers have a chance of rolling off a bunch of wins here coming up these next few weeks.

 

No clear cut favorite. Lot of people jumping on the Eagles bandwagon, since Rogers is out for Green Bay, and the Falcons are back choking again in the NFC.

AFC teams do seem very up and down week to week. Besides KC they do just have one loss, even though it's to us.

It's really up for grabs this year.

I even think there is some 2-4 teams that aren't out of it yet.

Could see a few 9-7 teams make the playoffs maybe.

 

Or mediocrity.

 

I Googled "parity mediocrity". There were a bunch of articles on this directed at the NFL and making your point.

 

I’m sorry, did someone say all Pennsylvania Super Bowl?

 

No thanks. Eagles PWN the Steelers.

 

only at their stadium... nah you are right they own us

 

So essentially we need to stay healthy and the only threats are KC, of course Pats but they look the weakest in years, and Philly.

 

Yes, Ryan Clark said exactly that yesterday on ESPN

 

Texans could also be a threat. Rookie QB Watson is for real.

 

We kicked the poop out of them in 2004. We actually kicked the poop out of the Eagles and Pats in consecutive weeks of 2004. Ben's rookie year.

Amazing enough those two teams met in the Super Bowl that year.

But that aside, we usually play like crap against the Eagles, in Philly especially.

 

I think the Steelers have only beaten the Eagles once in Philadelphia in the history of the NFL.

 

Well I do know they have one win in Chicago in their entire history, and that stat will continue for the next 8 years, because that will be the next chance to get a win there again.

 

Ferrety.

 

Party!

"I'm not an alcoholic. Alcoholics go to meetings.

I'm a drunk. We go to parties."

- Some drunk

 

Yes we all would enjoy the Steelers to go 16-0 every year and win SB but I am enjoying how this season is playing out. Makes it much more interesting. At the moment living among the Eagle faithful I am a little worried. I couldn't be around if they go to SB and if they would play the Steelers in the Bowl I would live in a motel out of town for those weeks. Now if the Steelers would win wouldn't that be fun for me

 

Not really. The last seven times the teams played they are 4-3. Just when the Steelers do lose to them they lose ugly.