Many NFL fans and experts are worried about the Pittsburgh Steelers, and some have said that the Steelers are in big trouble. No, they’re not. There is no peril in Pittsburgh.
Stop Worrying About the Pittsburgh Steelers
They are still led by their future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Rothlisberger. The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback also has a great team around him. Antonio Brown appears to be his favorite target, as he caught 136 passes for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. While these numbers didn’t match his career season from 2014, Brown’s greatness still earned him a second consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Most of the worry for Steelers fan comes from the absence of wide receiver Martavis Bryant. He was suspended for one year back on March 14 for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. While Bryant’s suspension is a big loss, it’s not the end of the world.
More Than Just Brown
Alongside Brown is another great receiver in Markus Wheaton. In 2015, Wheaton caught 44 passes for 749 yards and five touchdowns. That was as the third receiver on the team. With Bryant out for the season, Wheaton will see a lot more targets and will look to have a breakout season.
Another receiver the Steelers can use to make the offense work successfully is Darrius Heyward-Bey. The former Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver caught 21 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns last season. Pittsburgh will look for him to be a big part of their offense with Bryant gone.
Ground Game
Not only is the wide receiving corp one of the best in the AFC, but the running game is also an impressive one. Their leading running back, Le’veon Bell, rushed for 556 yards in just six games before tearing his MCL. Had he played the whole season, he would have rushed for 1,482 yards – possibly would have eclipsed 1,500 as the Steelers were in the playoffs, as well.
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, Bell was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season. But that doesn’t mean the Steelers running game will plummet. They still have running back Deangelo Williams. Williams stepped up for Pittsburgh big time last season, rushing for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Defense
On defense, they have lost a lot of pieces. One piece they have not lost, however, is James Harrison. If Harrison isn’t blocked, or gets out of a block, he can make big plays on defense.
In the secondary, William Gay is an essential piece of that defense. He recorded four interceptions in 2015; two of those picks were returned for touchdowns. Anticipate him trying to match, or surpass, those numbers in 2016.
Also be on the lookout for Cameron Heyward. Heyward has been a sack machine during his two years in Pittsburgh. Recording 14.5 sacks the last two campaigns, he will aspire to do more of the same in 2016.
Divison
Another advantage for Pittsburgh is their division. The Baltimore Ravens have a handful of players returning from injury. The Cincinnati Bengals have not won a playoff game in over two decades, and the Cleveland Browns are, well, the Browns.
All signs point to success in the steel city this season, so all of the worry the media is putting on the Steelers is unnecessary. The Steelers are not just looking good. They’re looking like a contender for Super Bowl LI.
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