The Pittsburgh Steelers have shocked the NFL world this season, as they have a record of 11-1 as of week 13 after losing only to the Washington Football Team. So, how in the world have they managed to become so successful this season?

During the 2019 NFL season, the Steelers finished the year 8-8 and missed the playoffs. For the 2020 season, they were projected to make the playoffs with a record of 10-6. However, they have already greatly surpassed expectations. Some may believe that their schedule has been a cupcake schedule, but in the NFL, it is still tough to win 11 straight games. In the 2020 offseason, the Steelers got QB Ben Roethlisberger back from injury, tremendously boosting the offense. Ben had not played since September 15, 2019 due to elbow pains that would not subside. He was declared out for the season and underwent surgery on the elbow. Having Big Ben back is one of the significant factors in the Steeler’s remarkable 2020 season.

The offseason also became essential for the Steelers. In the 2020 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh selected Chase Claypool out of Notre Dame. He immediately showed that he would be an excellent wide receiver for the Steelers during training camp and has went on to showcase that talent to the entire NFL world. He currently has 47 receptions for 649 yards and eight touchdowns. Those are incredible stats to have through only week 13 of the season. Juju Smith-Schuster has also had a great 2020 season, boasting a stat line of 73 receptions for 600 yards and six touchdowns. Juju and Claypool have both had a tremendous effect on the success of the Pittsburgh offense. 

A big debate that has been discussed is how far the Steelers can make it in the playoffs. Many people believe that the Steelers have had a schedule that is way too easy, and the moment that they play a good team in the playoffs, they will get blown out. The other side believes that they could make it to the Super Bowl potential and go all the way. However, the Steelers are a very unclear team. Nobody truly knows how they will handle playing against the best teams in the league during the playoffs. 

So, here we are. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a shockingly good team with great talent on both sides of the ball. Steelers fans have been pleasantly shocked at how good the season has been going. Will they get knocked out of the playoffs early or continue to shock the world and win their first Super Bowl since the 2008 season? Only time will tell how good the Pittsburgh Steelers truly are.

Sources:

“JuJu Smith-Schuster Stats, News, Bio.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 2021, www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3120348/juju-smith-schuster.