The Pittsburgh Steelers are on top of the AFC North with a 9-3 record after getting past the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, and their fans are hoping the team will make a serious run at a seventh Super Bowl championship this season.
But some feel the Steelers are a team that lacks the offensive firepower to get out of the deep and talented AFC, especially when it comes to their passing game.
Legendary former head coach Bill Belichick doesn’t seem to share that skepticism and believes Pittsburgh will not be an easy out come playoff time, thanks in part to its offensive coordinator.
“They are a very resourceful team. They find ways to win … you just can’t count them out. I think Arthur Smith has done a great job of proteceting the ball. … They’re gonna be tough to beat,” Belichick said on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
"You can't underestimate the Pittsburgh Steelers and you can never count them out..
I think Arthur Smith has done a great job and they're gonna be tough to beat" ~ Bill Belichick#PMSLive #HereWeGo https://t.co/YRJcA7dU1V pic.twitter.com/jwnbmfbaum
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 2, 2024
The Super Bowl champion also praised kicker Chris Boswell for being very accurate and trustworthy in big moments.
There was some skepticism about Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation and the apparent controversy between Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, but the veteran has been starting to cook ever since taking over the starting spot.
Against the Bengals, Wilson completed 29 of 38 pass attempts for 414 yards and three touchdowns, and in doing so outplayed Joe Burrow.
Wilson isn’t quite the threat on the ground he used to be with the Seattle Seahawks, but he appears to be spry after two dismal years with the Denver Broncos.
Steelers wide receiver George Pickens also is having quite a season with 850 receiving yards in 12 games, and as usual, the team’s defense is rock-solid.
The AFC is very tough with the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs all looking to get to the Super Bowl, but Pittsburgh should have at least a puncher’s chance of doing something special in the postseason.
