The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in the cellar of the AFC North division for the fourth consecutive week, but this week’s matchup with hated rival Baltimore may prove to be the most important of the season. Sitting at 1-4, not many people are expecting the team to make a miraculous postseason run. While time will tell whether that is realistic or not, the game this week against the Ravens will likely set the tone for how the remainder of the season will go, and how competitive the team will be in the second half.
With a win against the Jets last week, the Steelers were finally able to gain some kind of ground with the remainder of the division, as they were the last team of the four to get its first win. Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller and the Steelers defense finally began to show flashes of their old selves, and the team was able to gain some confidence before their date with Joe Flacco and company. The AFC as a whole is strong this year, with the NFL’s two remaining unbeaten teams, the Chiefs and Broncos, coming out of the AFC West. However, the North is the weakest division in the conference, and no team has looked particularly dominating at any point this season. The Steelers may seem to be out of the race for the division already, but a win against the Ravens at home would put the two teams just a half game apart. Adding to that scenario, the Bengals and Browns face the Lions and Packers, respectively, which are two of the toughest teams to beat in the NFC right now.
If Roethliserger and the offense can mix in some more of Le-Veon Bell or Felix jones pounding the football, the passing game will present more opportunities and both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders have proven to be effective weapons for Big Ben. Miller, who is only going to get better and healthier as the season wears on, will help on the ground with his able blocking and through the air by being a safety net for Roethlisberger. In forcing its first two turnovers of the season against the Jets, the defense also took a big step forward and will look to continue that trend against Flacco, who has already thrown 5 picks in a game in 2013.
Heinz Field should be packed on Sunday, and the Steelers will need all the extra crowd energy they can get. The season is not lost yet, and a win against the defending champs may be just what Mike Tomlin and his team need to get back on track.
