The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently sitting in first place in the AFC North after posting a 4-2 record through the first six games of the season. With four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers (105.0 passer rating) starting to find his groove on offense, this team has a chance to go on a run later in the year. However, fresh off a 33-31 loss to Joe Flacco and the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, the race within the AFC North has gotten somewhat tighter as the Bengals are just a game back of Pittsburgh.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers speaks with Bengals' Joe Flacco after a loss in the 2025 season.
While some believe this is still the Steelers' division, others, like former Super Bowl-winning head coach, Bruce Arians, believe Mike Tomlin and co. are not a lock to win it. This is what Arians had to say via The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday regarding the idea that the Steelers should be considered a lock to win the AFC North.
"I think that's total B.S. because Mike Tomlin's worst nightmare, Joe Flacco, went to Cincinnati," Arians said. "Joe just lit them up (on Thursday night). He's just going to get better."
Arians, who spent eight seasons as an offensive assistant with the Steelers (2004-2011) and helped them win multiple Super Bowls, saw what a lot of NFL fans saw on Thursday night. Flacco can still play quarterback at a high level, and the Bengals aren't dead yet. The 40-year-old quarterback threw for close to 350 yards and three touchdowns against a struggling Pittsburgh defense. All of a sudden, the Bengals have life at 3-4 and still have another opportunity to beat the Steelers again in a couple of weeks.
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Bengals QB Joe Flacco.
After seeing Rodgers post multiple four-touchdown games through the first third of the season, it is clear that the offense is not the Achilles' heel of the team. It is the defense, which currently ranks 28th in total defense (374.7 yards allowed per game). If Pittsburgh wants to stave off Flacco and their arch-rivals from Cincinnati, the defense must improve.
Steelers' Defense Will Get Tested Over the Next Four Weeks
The road will not get any easier for the Steelers, especially their defense, over the next couple of weeks. This Sunday night, the NFC North-leading Green Bay Packers will come to town for what could be one of the great games in the NFL this season. While all eyes will be on Rodgers as he meets his old team, with whom he spent 18 years, plenty of eyes will be on Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin as he looks to shut down Green Bay's potent offensive attack.
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Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
After the Packers come to Pittsburgh, the 6-1 Indianapolis Colts, who are currently leading the league in scoring (33.1 points per game), will follow. Then, Tomlin and co. will have to travel out West to face Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. Finally, Flacco and the Bengals will try to upset the Steelers once again, this time in the Steel City. So, this is not an easy road for a team that is currently pinning its hopes on its 41-year-old signal-caller.
The hope for the Steelers is that the likes of future Hall of Fame players T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward can start to get after the quarterback and plug up holes in the running game. After all, the Bengals did rush for 142 yards against them. Furthermore, if Jaylen Ramsey and Darius Slay can start to play like their elite selves again, which could be a big ask in their 30s, it could go a long way towards making the Steelers a complete team. However, what is certain is that the fans of Pittsburgh will know a lot more about their team after these next four weeks go by.
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