Entering Week four of the 2017 NFL season, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers. The most obvious being, how would they perform? They had looked below average in weeks one and three, how would they respond in week four? The bigger question was how they would perform against their biggest competitor in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens. The answers to these questions played out well for the Steelers, who beat the Ravens convincingly 26-9 in Baltimore. The win was assisted by the return of Le’Veon Bell to his dominant form and a strong day defensively; hence, these three Steelers takeaways.
Week Four Pittsburgh Steelers Takeaways
Ringing The Bell Again
Bell’s “preseason” seemed to have ended after Week three. Bell, who had only 180 yards and one touchdown entering Week four, ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Bell looked more dominant than he had in previous weeks overall, averaging 4.1 yards a carry. Most importantly, Bell was again the feature of the offense, with 35 carries and six targets. Bell’s confidence running in week four was key to the Steelers control of the ball and the game. The Steelers held the ball for over 35 minutes, almost 11 more minutes than Baltimore.
Bell returning to form was not only good for the immediate game, but a long-term provided hope for the Steelers backfield. The offense looks substantially better when Bell is firing on all cylinders. While Bell was the big statistical leader, Ben Roethlisberger and the passing game looked the most balanced they have all season as well. Ben looked confident, and many receivers had their best games. Martavis Bryant looked like the good Martavis Bryant. JuJu Smith-Schuster scored another touchdown, and Jesse James continued to produce. Bell’s production is what opens up the offense, and he will certainly be counted on moving forward.
Getting Defensive
Defensively, there were a few standout performers who helped the Steelers hold the Ravens to just nine points. Ryan Shazier led the team with 11 total tackles and added an interception. Cameron Heyward sacked Joe Flacco twice and recovered a fumble.
Next, cornerback Mike Hilton also sacked Flacco, along with garnishing an interception. These are the types of performances the Steelers will rely on in the future to supplement their defense. While they have yet to face a real offensive threat, the defense does appear to have improved from last year. The defense is ranked fourth in the NFL.
What to Improve
There still are some questions coming out of the win, however. The team in general looked flat in the second half compared to the first half. Is this something that will become a habit, or was this just a singular instance? There is also the question of whether or not the offense can produce on a week to week basis. The offense has looked good in weeks two and four, but bad in weeks one and three. If the Steelers wish to contend for a championship, they must become consistent on offense and maintain a strong defense.
Reflecting and Looking Ahead
Reflecting on this week, it was a good week. The Steelers defeated their rival and top contender for the AFC North title. They also corrected a lot of wrongs from last week, and Bell looks like the running back observed last year. At the quarter mark of the season, 3-1 with just an overtime loss on the road doesn’t look bad. Are there things that need fixed? Of course there are. But for now, enjoy the success of the first quarter of the season, and look for even more improvement next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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