Tag: AFC North

Steelers wins prove they are Super Bowl contenders

The Steelers have beaten five teams with winning records in 10 games this season.

In a league where any team can win on any given week, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to find ways to get it done. Despite very modest preseason projections, the Steelers sit at 8-2 after 11 weeks and atop in the AFC North.

But with any team that has success, critics try to find ways to pick that success apart. For the Steelers, the criticism has been about the strength of Pittsburgh’s schedule so far.

However, if only takes a few minutes to look at the current NFL standing and understand this argument doesn’t hold water.

Of the Steelers’ eight wins, five of them have come against teams currently with a winning record, The Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers are all over .500. No other team can make the claim they’ve beaten five teams with winning records already this season.

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AFC North playoff picture coming into focus for Steelers

The NFL playoff picture is heating up as we head into Week 12, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are making a strong case as legit contenders.

The NFL playoff picture for 2024 is heating up as we head into Week 12, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are making a strong case as legitimate contenders.

Currently sitting as the No. 3 seed in the AFC, the Steelers have surprised many with their consistent performances. If the playoffs started today, Pittsburgh would face off against their bitter rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, the No. 6 seed, in what promises to be an electrifying Wild Card matchup.

Led by head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have leaned on their gritty defense and clutch play in key moments. Defenders like T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Donte Jackson and Beanie Bishop have been instrumental in creating turnovers and shutting down opposing offenses. Quarterback Russell Wilson continues to show growth as the leader of the offense and Chris Boswell is, well, Chris Boswell

Baltimore boasts a dynamic attack powered by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, but the Steelers handled in Week 11.

As the playoff race intensifies, the Steelers must maintain their edge to fend off AFC challengers to remain a top seed. For fans in Pittsburgh, hopes are high that this year’s squad can bring playoff magic back to the Steel City.

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VIDEO: Thrilling HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ AFC North trailer will amp up Steelers fans

The official trailer for Hard Knocks In Season with the AFC North, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers, just dropped!

We’re two weeks out from the premiere of HBO’s popular docuseries “Hard Knocks,” featuring not only the Pittsburgh Steelers but the entire AFC North. The official trailer just dropped, and here’s your first look at it in all its glory.

“Hard Knocks” has been taking NFL fans behind the scenes of teams since 2001, but this is the first year they’re going in-depth on an entire division — and we’re here for it. The “in-season” rendition first started in 2021 with the Dallas Cowboys.

For the first time since its debut, the award-winning docuseries goes behind the scenes of an entire NFL division for the first time. Warner Brothers Discovery made the announcement back in June:

“Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North” will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams. The 18-time Emmy-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage as it follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, coach Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals and coach Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will share the “Hard Knocks” spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt and an array of other AFC North star players.

This is the first time Pittsburgh will appear in the award-winning docuseries. The Ravens were the first team featured on the original “Hard Knocks” training camp series in 2001. Since then, the Bengals have starred in the summer show in 2009 and 2013 and the Browns in 2018.

It’ll be exciting to see a weekly behind-the-scenes look at the Steelers, a team that came out of their Week 9 bye to face the toughest schedule in the NFL.

And there’s no better time for it, with Pittsburgh facing five more AFC North opponents in seven weeks.

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Mike Tomlin keeps outsmarting John Harbaugh, Steelers lead AFC North

Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh has gotten far too comfortable allowing the Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin to walk over his team.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh never seems to outsmart Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, especially when it matters most.

Unlike Harbaugh, Tomlin doesn’t like finesse and beauty. He leads a rugged football team, led by his powerful defense and offensive ground attack. On Sunday, Tomlin stuck to his guns, and his team forced three turnovers on the Ravens in the pivotal week 11 win.

 

Even with Baltimore ranking No. 1 in rush defense, Tomlin still ran the ball 34 times, using a committee of players to forward his attack. Tomlin even dispatched wide receiver Cordelle Patterson and reserve quarterback Justin Fields to cap off the 18-16 victory.

Harbaugh not only allowed offensive coordinator Todd Monken to neglect running back Derrick Henry from the game plan, but he also opted out of an opportunity for the onside kick with the team down two points with under 2:00 minutes to go. The most embarrassing moment in the game was the broadcast zooming in on Harbaugh as he called the aimless final timeout with under a minute to go, not realizing the Steelers had converted on 3rd and 1.

Impulsivity isn’t the leading factor compelling Ravens’ fans to scrutinize Harbaugh. Instead, Harbaugh’s unseemly contentment with coming up just short and his postured composure after losing critical games for the franchise.

Todd Monken sat on the wall & Monken did make the Ravens fall

Of course the Pittsburgh Steelers were ready for Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken and his very predictable pass attack in NFL week 11.

In NFL week 11, the Pittsburgh Steelers were ready for Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and his predictable pass attack.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson finished week 11 with just 207 passing yards and completed only 16 of his 33 pass attempts. More incompletions than completions are always a recipe for disaster, but what’s more incomplete is the explanation as to why running back Derrick Henry only received 13 carries on the ground in Sunday’s 18-16 loss.

Monken continues to get into big games just to abandon his strongest player, Henry, who leads the NFL in rushing yards. Henry continues to lurk in the shadows behind Monken, who wants badly to make the Ravens a pass-first offense.

The Ravens’ defense held its ground, granting the team another opportunity with a fourth-quarter interception by defensive back Marlon Humphrey. Still, the Ravens’ offense got stifled in the red zone when Monken called a quarterback sweep from the two-yard line as if the Steelers were going just to let Jackson walk in. 

What about Henry? Why wouldn’t Monken hand the ball to a man ranking No. 1 in the NFL in rushing yards? Ravens fans have been asking these same questions since the team squandered the AFC Championship in January. The saga continues, and thanks to Sunday’s loss, the Ravens are now two games behind the Steelers in the AFC North.

How the Justin Fields package became the Steelers’ secret weapon

The Pittsburgh Steelers may have unlocked their ultimate offensive weapon with the debut of the Justin Fields rushing-package in Week 11.

In what can only be described as a purely defensive contest, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens paved the way for the debut of the long-awaited ‘Justin Fields package’ on offense.

Russell Wilson struggled against the Ravens’ defense, throwing for 205 yards while completing 63.9% of his passes and producing his lowest QBR of the season: 67.5. However, much of the blame should be placed on Pittsburgh’s pass protection, as the Ravens constantly had Wilson under pressure and sacked him four times.

Where the offense looked promising, however, was in several Justin Fields packages that featured three plays: one QB-power play and two QB-RB option plays that sealed the Steelers’ Week 11 victory.

Wilson’s ‘moon ball’ is a deep threat unlike anything the NFL has seen this season, but Pittsburgh’s implementation of Fields’ rushing abilities will make opposing defenses second-guess every meeting with the Steelers.

Wilson and Fields can tear through defenses in their own unique ways, and it was refreshing for fans to see what the Pittsburgh Steelers will be capable of moving forward when utilizing both talented QBs.

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Steelers fans react to Chris Boswell’s incredible Week 11 performance

Chris Boswell shines again, leading the Steelers to an 8-2 start in 2024 going six for six on field goals in Week 11’s victory.

The ‘Wizard of Boz’ strikes again. While fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers anticipated QBs Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson to create a high-scoring Week 11 contest, they were instead treated to another Chris Boswell masterclass.

Boswell has achieved accolade after accolade to begin the 2024 season, being named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in both September and October, as well as kicking his 1,000th career point in the Steelers’ Week 3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

His best performance in 2024 came all the way back in Week 1, kicking a perfect six-for-six field goals from 57, 56, 51, 44, 40, and 25 yards.

Boswell matched his season-best six field goals made in the Steelers’ Week 11 victory over the Ravens, kicking for 57, 52, 50, 32, 32, and 27 yards.

The Steelers’ kicker is putting together one of his best seasons to date, with his confidence, accuracy, and consistency rallying his team to an unbelievable 8-2 start in 2024.

Here are some of the best fan reactions to Boswell’s immaculate Week 11 performance.

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George Pickens seemingly mocks injured Ravens’ defender

George Pickens is under scrutiny again for seemingly mocking an injured Ravens player during the Steelers’ Week 11 clash against Baltimore.

George Pickens just can’t seem to keep his immature antics out of the spotlight, as he displayed another poor example of decision-making in the Steelers’ Week 11 contest against the Ravens.

Around the halfway point of the second quarter, Ravens DT Travis Jones, who was nursing an ankle injury heading into the contest, went down to the turf clutching his leg. While Jones was surrounded by concerned teammates, Pickens seemingly began to mock the Ravens’ injured player.

It is difficult to make out exactly what Pickens was saying to the Baltimore Ravens defenders; however, fans can infer from his body language that he was not there to check on the injured player, and was intent on trash talking the Baltimore defense.

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Jones would ultimately limp off to the blue medical tent and was quickly cleared to return to the Week 11 contest. While the bad blood between the two AFC North rivals was obvious throughout the game, it never bodes well for one’s public perception to openly trash talk an injured player, let alone in the exact moment of injury.

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Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick discusses his lack of splash plays

In 2024, Minkah Fitzpatrick hasn’t produced with splash plays, but his impact remains critical for the Steelers’ strong 7-2 start.

Steelers’ All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been lacking some of his ‘FitzMagic’ to start the 2024 season, but if you ask him, it isn’t due to a lack of effort or execution.

The Pittsburgh Steelers safety has recorded 20 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns since 2019. Fans of the Steel City have been eagerly awaiting the return of Fitzpatrick’s elite playmaking ability to create turnovers and splash plays in 2024, but through nine games, there’s been nothing to show for it in terms of interceptions.

However, he has still displayed elite zone coverage, pass breakups, and run-stopping excellence. It seems Fitzpatrick isn’t overly concerned about the pressure to produce turnovers this season.

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With the Pittsburgh Steelers off to an impressive 7-2 start in 2024, Fitzpatrick’s words ring true. His elite play has deterred quarterbacks from throwing to his side of the field, and he will aim to maintain his dominant coverage heading into the Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on November 17 at 1:00 PM EST.

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How Pitt-Clemson game could impact Steelers’ Week 11 field conditions

Subpar field conditions may impact the Steelers’ Week 11 matchup against the Ravens, adding uncertainty to this AFC North rivalry.

As if there couldn’t be more uncertainty surrounding the 7-2 Steelers’ matchup against the formidable 7-3 Ravens, subpar field conditions at Acrisure Stadium may add an additional layer of intrigue to the meeting between these AFC North rivals.

Less than 24 hours before the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11, the Pittsburgh Panthers hosted the Clemson Tigers in an ACC CFB matchup at Acrisure.

While fans of the Steel City are treated to watching their city’s CFB and NFL teams play this weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t as fortunate.

When the Pittsburgh Panthers have played at Acrisure just before the Steelers, the field conditions from the game have significantly deteriorated.

One of the most recent examples was in 2022 when the Panthers hosted Georgia Tech on October 1. Weather conditions and the worn-down field made the Steelers’ Week 4 playing conditions against the New York Jets less than ideal, ultimately costing Pittsburgh the game, 24-20.

Could a similar issue present itself in Week 11? Fans would be disappointed if poor field conditions cost the Steelers a chance at furthering their lead in the AFC North divisional race over the Ravens.

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