Week 10

Since the last time I blogged, the Steelers have played 4 games. Through some ups and downs, Pittsburgh has emerged 3-1 over the stretch and have improved to a respectable 7-5 record thus far this season. Through ups and downs, injuries, and swinging helmets, the Steelers sit in a comfortable second place in the AFC North and are projected to make the playoffs as a wild card team. So just what went on in the past weeks that allowed the Steelers to be in this position after their dismal 1-4 start?

On November 10, the Steelers hosted the Los Angeles Rams for the third game of three consecutive home games. The Rams have had their ups and downs this season, but remain a constant presence on the playoff bubble. On the outside looking in, if the Rams could string together a few consecutive games they may be playing come January; long story short, they are a determined team with nothing to lose. However, Pittsburgh’s defense held off Jared Goff and the Rams, ending their two-game win streak. The defense recorded four turnovers, and Mason Rudolph’s 242 yards with a touchdown was enough to give Pittsburgh the edge in a tight matchup. With the win, the Steelers closed out four wins in a row at home and lengthened their win streak to four games.

After a quick turnaround, the Steelers traveled to Cleveland to take on the Browns on Thursday the 14th. A win would help solidify Pittsburgh’s position as the second team in the division behind the Ravens, but a loss would allow the Browns to remain in playoff contention. The game lacked any true offensive standouts, although Cleveland’s quarterback, who has been struggling more than expected this season, looked fairly solid with his 193 yards and two touchdowns. Mason Rudolph also struggled for the Steelers with four interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter that halted any hope of the Steelers coming back. However, the most notable event of the night actually occurred as the clock expired. After Rudolph completed a short pass to his left with 8 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett tackled him with what Rudolph believed to be a late hit. After the two wrestled on the ground, Rudolph was then backed up by center Maurkice Pouncey and offensive guard David DeCastro. As the group continued to argue, Garrett ripped off Rudolph’s helmet and hit him over head with it, something that reporters and NFL affiliated personal alike agreed to be one of the worst displays in history of the league. After it was all said and done, a slew of fines and disciplinary actions were carried out against both teams. Both teams were fined over $250,000 each, Myles Garrett was suspended indefinitely (at least for the remainder of this season), Rudolph was fined $50,000, Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi was suspended 1 game, and Pouncey was suspended 2 games. In all, 33 players were fined and/or punished for their involvement in the brawl. However, the Steelers had to have a quick turnaround: after a matchup with the winless Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns were coming to Pittsburgh in 2 weeks, and Pittsburgh desperately needed redemption.

The Steelers started slow against the Bengals. And by slow, I mean really slow. Going into halftime, Rudolph only 85 yards and 1 interception; worse yet, the Steelers were down 7-3 to the (arguably) worst team in the NFL. After the half, backup backup quarterback (it is not the most stable time in Pittsburgh right now) Devlin “Duck” Hodges took over control of the offense and soon threw a 79-yard touchdown pass that helped the Steelers regain the lead, and they never looked back. The Bengals did tie it up with a field goal at the end of the 3rd quarter, but two 4th quarter field goals from kicker Chris Boswell put the game out of reach for Cincinnati. Honestly of the more boring games I have watched this season, defined by the sixteen punts and three turnovers, I am very happy that this low-scoring game ended up in Pittsburgh’s favor; it would be hard to support a team that suffered a loss to the only winless team in the league. However, the Steelers were able to notch another check in the win column and look ahead to the next weekend: a quick rematch with the Browns.

On the first day of December, the Browns traveled to Pittsburgh in hopes of moving to 2-0 on the season in a divisional matchup. After the last game, nobody was too sure what to except. The Steelers had to play much better than the last time the two teams met if they hoped to (essentially) eliminate the Browns from playoff contention, and if the Browns could keep the helmet swinging to a minimum, that would be preferred. Devlin Hodges, who had guided the Steelers to a narrow victory the week prior, got the start for Pittsburgh. After going down 10-0 midway through the second quarter, the Steelers took back the lead in the third quarter and did not give it up for the rest of the game. Hodges looked fairly solid in his start, actually putting up better numbers than Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield. 212 yards and a touchdown with only one interception, Hodges showed a glimpse of what he may offer as a starter under center. Thankfully, the events of the previous meeting seemed to create no bad blood in the game, and Pittsburgh was able to escape with a win that boosted them up to 7-5 on the season.

With only four games left in the season, the Steelers are in fairly good playoff position. The Ravens are a win away from clinching the division, and the way they are playing they are on pace to clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The wild card is Pittsburgh’s (nearly) only way to the playoffs, and despite this season’s ups and downs, the chances are good. That being said, Pittsburgh still needs to travel to Arizona to play the 3-8-1 Cardinals, then face a dangerous Buffalo Bills team; the Steelers will then face Le’veon Bell and the New York Jets before closing the season in Baltimore with a rematch with the Ravens. If the Steelers take it week by week and continue to string together some quality victories, they have a great shot at making the playoffs; tune in this Sunday for their game at 4:25 PM!