Three weeks into the NFL season, the AFC North has remained in tight contention, with the Steelers, Ravens, Bengals, and Browns all entering Week 4 with a 2-1 record.
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Steelers' Derrick Harmon gets the game-sealing sack on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in 2026.
The Steelers have surpassed expectations coming into the season, with a 30-27 win over Cincinnati in Week 3, which was a bounce back from their 20-3 loss to New England in week 2.
The division ranking is difficult to predict after only three games, but the Steelers find themselves in an interesting position heading into Week 4. Leading betting sites priced the Steelers with low expectations entering the season, but the team has shown it has what it takes to remain in competition for the AFC North.
The upcoming schedule will pit the Steelers against matchups they can realistically win, facing the Colts, Buccaneers and Saints, followed by another matchup against the Browns in Week 8. Pittsburgh has the opportunity to position itself at the top of the division before its bye, especially with two games against Cleveland over the next five weeks.
Pittsburgh's Offense Finding Its Rhythm
The biggest positive from the Steelers this season was the week 3 performance against the Bengals.
Aaron Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns, completing 19 of 34 passes. It was a significant jump up from Week 2, where he finished with just 187 passing yards against a team that has been struggling in their own right this season.
Jaylen Warren was also a big contributor, rushing for 127 yards on 17 carries. A big concern in the first two weeks was the lack of consistency in the running game, but the team showed they can finally put pressure on that side of the offense, even against a team that’s ranked 9th in rushing defense.
The issue is consistency. Against the Patriots, Rodgers was sacked four times and averaged only 4.8 yards per attempt as they struggled to sustain drives. One week later, the Steelers produced 30 points on Rodgers' first three-touchdown performance of the season.
If Warren can continue generating consistent yardage, Pittsburgh should be able to avoid putting Rodgers in obvious passing situations and reduce the pressure on an offensive line that has already allowed him to take several sacks this season.
Steelers Defense Could Still Improve
Pittsburgh's defense has also produced mixed results. Although the week 3 matchup against the Bengals showed positive trends in the offense, the outlook for the defense was less convincing.
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Steelers' Jalen Ramsey attempts to bat down a pass while playing the Cincinnati Bengals in 2026.
Cincinnati was given a good opportunity of tying with a field goal or potentially taking the lead late in the fourth quarter, but was stopped short by a forced fumble by Derrick Harmon. Although the turnover was a major saving grace, the Steelers likely don’t want to depend on late defensive stops moving forward.
Overall the passing defense has been one of the best this season, but the Steelers continue to rank worse against the rushing game than any other team in the AFC North. The team is currently allowing 113 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD per game, which will be one of their bigger challenges against the Colts in week 5.
Steelers With A Favorable Schedule Ahead of Their Bye Week
Pittsburgh's upcoming schedule will tell us more about whether its 2-1 start is sustainable. The Steelers face Cleveland twice before their Week 9 bye, with games against Indianapolis, Tampa Bay and New Orleans between those two divisional matchups.
However, Pittsburgh's schedule becomes more difficult later in the season. After their bye, the Steelers face the Bengals and Eagles before facing the Broncos, Texans, and Jaguars. The first half of the season will therefore be an opportunity for Pittsburgh to build some separation before facing its tougher matchups.
More importantly, a win over Cleveland would not only move the Steelers to 3-1 overall, but will also lead to a 2-0 record within the AFC North. It’s still far too early to know how the division will take shape, with all four teams currently sitting at 2-1. However, Pittsburgh has already secured a divisional win over the Bengals and now has an opportunity to add another against the Browns.