The Pittsburgh Steelers are having their best season since before the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, and they have set themselves up to be in a good position going into the playoffs. Pittsburgh currently sits in third place in the AFC with a record of 9-3, and they have a firm lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. The success so far in the 2024 season has a lot to do with the elite defense, but it also says a lot about the improved play at quarterback which has been provided by both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson runs against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 of the 2024 regular season.
The Steelers did just fine with Fields starting the first six games of the 2024 season as they went 4-2 with him running the show on offense. However, Wilson has propelled the offense into a whole new level. Wilson is 5-1 through his first six starts and he has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league since taking over the starting job. Wilson's play has catapulted Pittsburgh into the discussion of being Super Bowl contenders, which Robert Griffin III mentioned on Friday's episode of Pardon My Take.
"I think the Steelers have a chance to win it [Super Bowl LIX] too," Griffin said. "I said that in the offseason when they got Russ. For the Steelers, it's more about, if Russell plays like he did against the Bengals, oh my god, they can go score 44 points?"
Pittsburgh's offense had been borderline stagnant since Roethlisberger hung up his cleats following the 2021 season. The Steelers tried to find their next quarterback during the 2022 and 2023 seasons in Kenny Pickett, but that experiment failed. The organization decided to part ways with Pickett during the 2024 offseason, and it looked towards Wilson in free agency.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson with his teammates after a play during Week 13 against the Bengals.
Pittsburgh's offense had struggled to find points in recent years, but that is not the case with Wilson at quarterback. Pittsburgh currently ranks in the top 10 when it comes to points scored, and that kind of production paired with an elite defense presents an issue for the rest of the league. Griffin expanded on why he believes the Steelers are contenders, citing that the organization put Wilson in a familiar situation.
"Now why is that the case for the Steelers?" Griffin asked. "It's because it is exactly how Russell Wilson won his Super Bowl. Beast Mode [Marshawn Lynch]. The Steelers are playing great defense, they [Seattle] had the Legion Of Boom. You're putting Russell in a very familiar situation. Where now he can drop back and throw those moon balls. He looks so much younger, he looks five years younger than he did in Denver."
Wilson won the Super Bowl back in 2013 while he was the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, and he did while relying heavily on the defense and his running back Marshawn Lynch, who was nicknamed Beast Mode. Seattle also had a stifling defense, nicknamed the Legion Of Boom, which is similar to the defense the Steelers currently have. This is all familiar to Wilson, and it brings the veteran quarterback back to the prime of his career.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson on the sideline during a game against the New York Jets in 2024.
Steelers Have Proven They Can Compete With Anyone With Russell Wilson At Quarterback
Making the playoffs is the "easy" part of getting to the Super Bowl, but the extremely challenging part is getting through some of the league's best teams in the postseason. Pittsburgh has already proven they can beat the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos, who are all currently in the playoff picture for the AFC. They have a big test coming up on Christmas Day as they will take on the Kansas City Chiefs, and that game could have huge ramifications when it comes to securing the one-seed.
Do you think the Steelers are true competitors with Wilson? Let us know in the comments below!
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