The Steelers could be back

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Maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers are just letting everyone down, and we're going to end up with another feeling of emptiness at the end of the season. But it seems they are once again one of the best football teams.

The Steelers looked like anything but four games. They had a draw against the Browns, a home defeat against the Chiefs (this defeat has aged well though), then barely held for a win against the Buccaneers and lost against the Ravens at home. It was not just a 1-2-1 start, it was a 1-2-1 unimpressive. It was a bad look for a team that was entering the season with realistic dreams of the Super Bowl.

Since then, the Steelers look like a new team. They eliminated the Falcons, got a win against the Bengals, then the same Browns team that beat them in the first week. There is no real quality victory in this trio, but it still seems that the Steelers have taken a step. Every year, we see teams in difficulty (sometimes also in October) before finding a rhythm. The Steelers have already done so, and this could happen again.

The best news for the Steelers 4-2-1 is that the rest of the AFC North has almost gone and they have achieved the pole position of the division. The Ravens have weakened since a good start and have only 4-4. The Bengals are 5-3, but are almost suffocated at home by the Buccaneers. They are in a tie breaking position after already losing a home game against the Steelers. The Browns fired their coach and offensive coordinator on Monday, which indicates everything we need to know about them.

The Steelers turnaround seems quite simple: they run the ball effectively and play a better defense. The Steelers lack of confidence in their running was screaming in the defeat of the Ravens. They barely ran the ball in this game and were excluded in the second half. Since weeks 2 to 4, the Steelers have accumulated an average of 43.3 rushing yards per game. They had an average of 137 in the last three games. It's true that teams run more and generally better when they win, but it's clear that we have to try to get James Conner more passes and that balances an offense that needs it. It also helps the defense, which is not too present on the ground lately.

The Steelers' three best games this season, in terms of yards allowed, are their last three games. They allowed 420.5 yards for four weeks and 278.7 yards for the last three games. Against the Buccaneers and Chiefs, the first four weeks have skewed the stats, but the defense just looks better. Getting players like cornerback Joe Haden and safety Morgan Burnett after their return to the game earlier this season can help. They also seem to have finally adapted to the defeat of linebacker Ryan Shazier from last season. Jon Bostic seems to be a good collector for the offseason.

Of course, it's Le'Veon Bell. Assuming that Bell does not move until Tuesday's trading deadline, the Steelers will have nearly the best mid-season addition (although it may be Los Angeles Chargers' Joey Bosa when he comes back from injury) . Good teams usually do not add new All-Pro talent to mid-season training. Bell's efforts have been uncomfortable and it is possible that his comeback is upsetting the chemistry that seems finally to materialize. It is also possible that everyone makes the most of the situation and a team that is on the roll simply adds one of the best football players, who was not touched by hundreds of contacts in September and October. No other team is going to make an impact addition like this one.

What we have with the Steelers is a first-place team with a nice pass attack, the third top scorer in the NFL (Conner) about to be joined by a double All Pro and a defense that 'improved. If the Steelers can leave on the road this week and beat a weakened Ravens team, it could be a sign that Pittsburgh will be one of the NFL's most dangerous teams in the second half of the season.

Here are the power rankings after the eighth week of the NFL season:

32. Oakland Raiders (1-6, last week: 31)

A few years ago, the popular idea was that it was fun and good for the NFL for the return of the Raiders. Well, on the other hand, it stinks they go back to the bottom of the league. Their fans are good and deserve better before the departure of their team.

31. New York Giants (1-7, LW: 29)

We all know why Pat Shurmur will not consider putting Eli Manning on the bench. We all saw what happened last time someone tried it.

30. San Francisco 49ers (1-7, LW: 28)

Last year, the 49ers lost five consecutive games by three points or less. This season, three of his last five games have been lost by three points or less, including Sunday's collapse against the Arizona Cardinals. I do not think Kyle Shanahan has a fatal flaw in tight games (insert here the Super Bowl LI jokes) and it's hard to be too harsh when C. Beathard and not Jimmy Garoppolo is the quarterback. But it's a strange trend.

29. Arizona Cardinals (2-6, LW: 32)

It is not ideal for the cardinals to have looked so bad for three quarters. But seeing rookie quarterback Josh Rosen lead his comeback in the fourth quarter, including the last minute drive to win, is the kind of thing that can give Rosen a lot of confidence. This should also give the team great confidence in Rosen's development on schedule.

28. Buffalo Bills (2-6, LW: 30)

Derek Anderson was injured late in the Monday night 's defeat, and if it' s bad, it could mean Nathan Peterman leaving next week. It's something.

27. Cleveland Browns (2-5-1, LW: 26)

Firing Hue Jackson was the right choice. The problem is there, and there must be a possibility: a talented team that has just overthrown a terrible coach has a good second half under Gregg Williams, and the Browns are bothering to give Williams another year as a coach. chief. We have already seen teams do this before. The Browns need a good start. If Williams is their 2019 head coach, it will be a mistake to dismiss Jackson now.

26. Denver Broncos (3-5, LW: 25)

If trading Demaryius Thomas this week means giving Courtland Sutton more play time and instant sequences, that's what Denver needs to do. Sutton is going to be really good.

25. Colts of Indianapolis (3-5, LW: 27)

It's 258 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Marlon Mack over the past two weeks. The Colts must be satisfied with some young talents like Mack, the return of Andrew Luck and the coach of Frank Reich. The Colts could make huge jumps over the next two seasons.

24. Atlanta Falcons (3-4, LW: 24)

If the Falcons can win the next two games against Washington and Cleveland, they could then activate the Pro Bowl's Deion Jones linebacker out of the injured reserve for their Nov. 18 match against Dallas. Assuming Jones is healthy enough to come back, he could have a huge impact on a defense that needs him. It's not too late for the Falcons to run.

23. Titans of Tennessee (3-4, LW: 23)

The saga Jameis Winston recalls that Marcus Mariota, who has chosen the draft after Winston, is also on the clock. Mariota does not have the off-field problems of Winston, but he has the ups and downs on the pitch and an unsecured salary of $ 20.9 million in 2019. Mariota has not appeared to be a quarter club of $ 21 million for at least two seasons. .

22. Miami Dolphins (4-4, LW: 17)

After 40 games and a 20-20 record, there is no reason to believe that Adam Gase is the solution for the Dolphins. I guess the most rewarding thing to say about him would be, "Hey, he had to deal with a lot of quarterback injuries!" Maybe Gase will be a good coach, but what is the tangible proof of the future?

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4, LW: 21)

I talked about the situation of Jameis Winston in Winners and Losers. By and large, Dirk Koetter had to go to Ryan Fitzpatrick's house and, in doing so, probably got close to losing his job.

20. Dallas Cowboys (3-4, LW: 22)

The Cowboys clearly felt that the offensive line coach, Paul Alexander, was a bad way to send him back now. Jason Garrett has been head coach since 2010 and has never fired an assistant during the season. I'm not sure that corrects the reception situation of the Cowboys, but maybe it'll help.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5, LW: 20)

While the Texans are warming up and the Jaguars have already lost a home game against them, it's not crazy to think they have to go 7-1 in the second half to win the division. Even if Jacksonville was 7-1, the Texans would still be 5-3 with another victory over the Jags. And does it look like a Jaguars team that can go 7-1 the rest of the way?

18. New York Jets (3-5, LW: 18)

Linebacker Avery Williamson has been a very good addition of free agents. He has 55 tackles, two sacks and one interception so far this season. He is still only 26 years old, so he will still have many better seasons as young Jets continue to build.

17. Detroit Lions (3-4, LW: 15)

Sunday's game was Lions. Just when it seemed like you could trust them while they were getting hot and assembling something, they stumbled and were dominated by the Seahawks at home. There is no shame in losing against Seattle, but are you a playoff team in the NFC if you can not be more competitive with the Seahawks at home?

16. Baltimore Ravens (4-4, LW: 10)

The home game against the Steelers this week seems to be a turning point in their season. If they lose, a good start to the season is totally erased. But a victory puts them back in the heart of the AFC North race. It may not be a classic confrontation between Steelers and Ravens, but the stakes are many.

15. Houston Texans (5-3, LW: 19)

The injury of Will Fuller ACL is a concern. Deshaun Watson showed he was very, very good at throwing the ball deep. Fuller was a perfect match. If the Texans can not replace that, it will reduce one of Watson's strengths.

14. Seattle Seahawks (4-3, LW: 16)

I still do not like the post-season Seahawks and I'm not sure that their overall approach is the best. But having a coach and a high-end quarterback corrects a lot. Pete Carroll is really good and Russell Wilson is a magician.

13. Chicago Bears (4-3, LW: 14)

It was good for the Bears to sit on Khalil Mack Sunday. Bringing him back in good health, not just letting him suffer from an ankle injury, will help the Bears. Most teams do not want to play as if they "should win" and never admit it out loud, but it seems the Bears have realized they could win the Jets game without Mack and behave intelligent. You have to wonder if they will give Mack another day off next week in a match that can be won against the Bills.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3, LW: 13)

It's hard to be too excited to beat the Buccaneers after losing 18 points in the fourth quarter and needing a goal in the final second to win despite a record of more 4. But a win is a win, especially before the break.

11. Green Bay Packers (3-3-1, LW: 11)

If what we heard that Ty Montgomery removed the ball from the end zone after being warned is true, and that he was perhaps tied to the anger provoked by the fact that he was pulled out earlier in the game, I'd be legitimately surprised that he's active on Sunday. I would be surprised if he is still on the list, period. How can Packer coaches trust him?

10. Washington Redskins (5-2, LW: 12)

Many people, especially in Nevada, thought that the Giants-Redskins game was virtually a kid's game. That says a lot about our position in Washington. The Redskins were very good, but they were still considered in much the same way as a Giants team that was absolutely horrible for most of the season. It could take a long time for people to truly respect Washington as legitimate.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (4-4, LW: 9)

I think the most interesting team on Tuesday's trading deadline could be here. The Eagles had a nice victory Sunday against the Jaguars. They are clearly right to participate in the NFC East race, but it seems they could still use a spark. And we know that they are ready to be aggressive.

8. Minnesota Vikings (4-3-1, LW: 5)

I guess we rush to be the first to call Kirk Cousins a bust. I do not know how you could watch the first half of the Viking season and I think that's the problem. He was very good. But everyone was eager to give this advice since the moment he signed, so here we are.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2-1, LW: 8)

Anything can go back, but a short streak of wins has lightened Mike Tomlin a lot. However, with a defeat on Sunday against the Ravens, he will surely be relaunched.

6. Carolina Panthers (5-2, LW: 7)

In the last five games, Christian McCaffrey has missed two offensive shots against the Giants and a Sunday against the Ravens. That's it, after five games. This is a really high and rare use for a running back. McCaffrey played 96.3 percent of the Panthers offense this season. He entered the league and everyone assumed he would be on the committee because of his size, but he was more like a 205-pound workaholic.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (5-2, LW: 6)

The next game of the Chargers against the Seahawks is big, because it is followed by three very winners: at Raiders, against Broncos, against Cardinals. With a win on Sunday, the Chargers will likely be 9-2 by December. The AFC West race is not over.

4. New England Patriots (6-2, LW: 3)

The Patriots got an easy win against a team of over-matched Bills. But can we at least talk about the fact that Rob Gronkowski really does not look right and that he has not spent the whole season?

3. Saints of New Orleans (6-1, LW: 4)

I've been saying for a long time that my main goal in Power Rankings is to determine if Team A played Team B on neutral ground, who would win? Even if the saints do not appear higher on the list, I'm not sure to choose anyone above the saints at the moment. We will see where they are on Sunday as they face the Rams in the best game of the NFL regular season.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-1, LW: 2)

The Chiefs earned 340 yards and 30 points on Sunday. A good day for most of the players 'teams, but it was the Chiefs' lowest yard total of the season, tied for their second lowest point (the Broncos held them at 27 points in the first round). meeting). This offense could be unstoppable.

1. Los Angeles Rams (8-0, LW: 1)

We almost had our first moment to guess Sean McVay. By the end of the fourth quarter, the Rams were late 27-26. They ran the second and twentieth places and the third and 16th, basically contenting themselves with a goal on the court. If Ty Montgomery had just kicked the shot, as he was told to do, Aaron Rodgers would have had two minutes to drive for a winning placement. We have already seen Rodgers remove this many times before. But Montgomery groped and the abandonment of the Rams mattered little. McVay is not often conservative. So it was shocking to get into a shell and open the door wide open to allow Rodgers to steal a win.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "More from Yahoo Sports:
• Ty Montgomery disobeyed orders and escaped the Packers game
• Eric Reid says Malcolm Jenkins has asked him to stop protesting
• The Rangers roast the Dodgers and themselves in a viral tweet
• Seahawks ice rookies win in wilderness
"data-reactid =" 105 ">More from Yahoo Sports:
• Ty Montgomery disobeyed orders and escaped the Packers game
• Eric Reid says Malcolm Jenkins has asked him to stop protesting
• The Rangers roast the Dodgers and themselves in a viral tweet
• Seahawks ice rookies win in wilderness

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