Pittsburgh Steelers Still Viewed As Top Patriots Threat

Suffice to say people have pretty much already phoned in the AFC to the New England Patriots. Not even the ever persistent Pittsburgh Steelers.

The moves made by the longtime powerhouse over the past few months just makes it seem like there is no way to stop them. Tom Brady is better armed than ever with loads of weapons from top to bottom. Defensively they’ll always be in good shape with Bill Belichick crafting the game plans. Beating them was never an easy task, but now it seems harder than ever.

Nevertheless some experts still believe that if any team can put another dark mark on their dynasty run, it’s the Steelers. Granted, the ugly loss they suffered in the AFC championship hasn’t helped matters. At the same time there’s reason for optimism. Conor Orr of NFL.com explained why they are the best hope to take down the evil empire.

"“Ben Roethlisberger’s 3-5 record against Bill Belichick is saying something at this point. There aren’t many teams left with a legendary quarterback who can go 12 rounds with the Patriots on any given night. Plus, Roethlisberger’s supporting cast should be more capable and focused than it’s been in a few years. Rookie linebacker T.J. Watt and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster are immediate upgrades who can help balance out the thinning lineup of a team that began taking too many personnel risks.”"

Firepower is everything

Pittsburgh is the one team in the AFC that can match New England man for man in terms of offensive personnel. If anything they might be superior now. This due in large part to the return of wide receiver Martavis Bryant from his year-long suspension. When he, Antonio Brown, and Le’Veon Bell were on the field together it was an absolute clinic at times. Defenses just couldn’t stop them.

For an understanding, here’s a quick note. In 2015, Roethlisberger came up just shy of 4,000 yards passing at 3,938. What’s amazing about that? He missed four games with injury. That’s how explosive the Steelers can be with that trio in place. To say noting of the arrival of rookie 2nd round pick JuJu Smith-Schuster from USC. Who knows how he might figure into the mix.

New England has always been great at turning the strengths of opponents into weaknesses, but even they have their limits. Pittsburgh is at full strength and plenty motivated to make up for what happened back in January. Maybe they finally get this monkey off their back.