As if we didn’t already know it, Mike Tomlin is a great coach.
He didn’t need this season for us to know that, but his team’s 3-0 start only reinforces how good he is doing his job.
The Pittsburgh Steelers lead the AFC North with a 3-0 record, despite playing with what is essentially a backup at quarterback — soon to be full-time starter — in Justin Fields. The Steelers are doing it the Tomlin way, with a tough, nasty approach led by the defense with a running game and a few big passing plays on top. They have not allowed any team to score more than 10 points.
All those who had the Steelers undefeated at this point, please stand up? Not many of you who don’t wear the team colors. Yet here they are as one of the remaining five undefeated teams. The quarterback controversy of the summer involving Fields and Russell Wilson seems like a long time ago.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has done a nice job of building the offense around Fields and his skill set and the running game. The defense remains, well, a Steelers defense. T.J. Watt can wreck a game and the secondary is much improved.
When the season began, I said the Steelers would be the worst team in their division, no matter who played quarterback. Steelers fans went nuts on X. So here goes: I was wrong. Cleveland is the worst team, while the Steelers are the best for right now.
They are up to fifth in my Power Rankings this week heading into a road game at Indianapolis against the Colts. After that, the schedule toughens up with games against the Cowboys (if they are any good) and the Jets in October.
We will know a lot more about the Steelers come November. For now, they are undefeated and playing their brand of football.
And once again we are reminded how Tomlin is one of the best in the league and a big reason why it’s pure stupidity to say his team will be the worst in the division.
I know. I said it and I look like an idiot now. Go ahead and wave the Terrible Towels in my face. I deserve it. But just remember, it’s early. Things change quickly in this league.
| 1 | Chiefs | They are winning close games, but the record says they are undefeated. I still think the best is yet to come. Travis Kelce needs to pick it up. | — | 3-0-0 |
| 2 | Bills | This team is rolling right now. But now comes a big one with the Ravens on the road. Josh Allen is the MVP leader right now. | — | 3-0-0 |
| 3 | Vikings | The good news is Sam Darnold isn’t badly hurt. Did I just write that? Yes because he’s played so well in the 3-0 start that his health really matters. | 2 | 3-0-0 |
| 4 | Seahawks | At 3-0, they are one of the best teams right now. But they haven’t faced a tough schedule. We will find out more about them this week against the Lions. | 3 | 3-0-0 |
| 5 | Steelers | Whoever plays this team will be in for a physical battle each and every week. They might not be pretty, but they know how to win games. | 5 | 3-0-0 |
| 6 | Texans | They lost for the first time as their offense was dominated by the Vikings. Now we get to see how C.J. Stroud and company handle the response to a bad day. | 3 | 2-1-0 |
| 7 | Eagles | That late-game touchdown to beat the Saints really changes the dynamic of their season. At 2-1, they are good heading to Tampa. At 1-2, things would be a lot different. | 11 | 2-1-0 |
| 8 | Packers | Matt LaFleur has done a great job getting this team two wins without Jordan Love. Malik Willis has played well, but the defense has really come up big. | 4 | 2-1-0 |
| 9 | Buccaneers | That was a horrible showing against the Broncos in their first loss. The defense was bad and the offensive line was whipped. Now here come the Eagles. | 5 | 2-1-0 |
| 10 | Lions | After losing to the Bucs, they bounced back against the Cardinals with a victory. But they still don’t quite look like the team we expect to see. | 1 | 2-1-0 |
| 11 | Jets | If Aaron Rodgers is slinging it like he did against the Patriots, the Jets will push for a Super Bowl. The run game is good and the defense is back to being dominant. | 9 | 2-1-0 |
| 12 | Saints | They blew a game they should have won against the Eagles. Derek Carr and the offense sure didn’t look as good as they did the first two weeks. | 6 | 2-1-0 |
| 13 | Ravens | They beat the Cowboys behind their running game, but they sure did make it interesting in the second half. The defense has to tighten up. | 2 | 1-2-0 |
| 14 | Chargers | Losing Justin Herbert ended their chances against the Steelers. If he misses time with that ankle injury, they have major problems that their power offense can’t fix. | 5 | 2-1-0 |
| 15 | 49ers | All the injuries have proven to be too much for this team. It’s hard to believe they are 1-2, but when you lose stars it’s tough to overcome it. | 7 | 1-2-0 |
| 16 | Cowboys | They have major defensive issues that put so much pressure on the offense. Maybe Mike Zimmer didn’t fix it after all. | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| 17 | Commanders | The Commanders have their quarterback for the long run. Jayden Daniels will be a star. We saw that in the victory over the Bengals on Monday night. | 12 | 2-1-0 |
| 18 | Bears | Caleb Williams did some good things in the loss to the Colts, but the turnovers were killers. Even so, it’s progress. | 2 | 1-2-0 |
| 19 | Rams | Sean McVay got this team their first victory Sunday against the 49ers after they trailed by 14 points in the second half. They are undermanned, but he does a great job overcoming it. | 6 | 1-2-0 |
| 20 | Falcons | They had a real chance to get to 2-1 against the Chiefs, but came up short. The end-of-game decisions didn’t help. The defense has been solid. | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| 21 | Colts | Anthony Richardson is still too inconsistent, but at least they gave the ball to Jonathan Taylor in this game. They need to lean on that more. | 6 | 1-2-0 |
| 22 | Broncos | Sean Payton showed he owns the Bucs with Todd Bowles as coach. That was a clinic. Bo Nix is getting better. | 8 | 1-2-0 |
| 23 | Cardinals | The offense wasn’t as crisp against the Lions and it cost them. But they will be in a lot of games, even if they don’t win them. | 2 | 1-2-0 |
| 24 | Giants | They won for the first time at Cleveland with an impressive defensive showing. The pass rush came alive. Malik Nabers is special. | 7 | 1-2-0 |
| 25 | Dolphins | Without Tua Tagovailoa, they just don’t have enough to score points – even with the explosive receivers. This is going to be a long season without him. | 2 | 1-2-0 |
| 26 | Browns | At 1-2 with two home losses, they have to be considered a major disappointment so far. Deshaun Watson is struggling. | 7 | 1-2-0 |
| 27 | Patriots | That victory over the Bengals seems way in the rearview mirror. The offense isn’t very good. How long before it’s Drake Maye time? | 1 | 1-2-0 |
| 28 | Bengals | The defense is horrible right now. At 0-3, they are in a deep hole. Can they climb out of it? | 6 | 0-3-0 |
| 29 | Panthers | Andy Dalton made this a different team. He was sharp and accurate and the confidence bled over to the rest of the team. Benching Bryce Young looks to be the right decision. | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| 30 | Raiders | That was a terrible showing against the Panthers at home. So much for the momentum after beating the Ravens. The defense was awful and a quarterback change could be coming. | 16 | 1-2-0 |
| 31 | Jaguars | This team is a disaster. The offense isn’t good, the defense is bad and the coaching isn’t great. At 0-3, they are done. | 7 | 0-3-0 |
| 32 | Titans | They have a Will Levis problem right now. He is turning the ball over too much. Oh, and the offensive line is really bad. | 4 | 0-3-0 |
Go to Source
Author: Pete Prisco
September 24, 2024 | 5:50 am
