The Steelers Are Going To Be Beast This Year

Last year the Steelers started off terribly and then made a monster comeback, missing the playoffs only because Ryan Succop, Mr. Irrelevant 2009, can't kick. Oh, and the refs blew not one but two calls. Yeah, I know, the Steelers should have just won more games, then they wouldn't have needed the Chiefs scrubs to stand on their heads and almost beat the Chargers' first team. Alas, it doesn't work that way, not for anybody.

It's clear, though, that this year's team isn't going to start off the same way. The second preseason game is in progress, all the starters have been pulled, and the backups are fighting for their careers, so now seems as good a time as any to look toward the regular season.

First, Ryan Shazier is everything that was advertised, and then some. He had 9 tackles and a great coverage interception. He seemed to be everywhere. Where he wasn't Troy Polamalu and Jason Worilds were. The starting defense is as swarming as ever, and the secondary looks to be at least adequate to the task. The defense isn't exactly the Steel Curtain, but it should bounce back from last year's letdown and once more be one of the premier units in the league.

As for the offense, Ben Roethlisberger looks to be as good as ever. The team is trying to re-establish the run, and Le'Veon Bell has the skills to go for a thousand yards. That should open up the pass, and Antonio Brown looks like he's primed for a big year. The offensive line, after more than a decade, looks like it might be better than the local high school JV team, with Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro anchoring a solid unit. Heath Miller is 100% this year and Markus Wheaton looks like he will fit in well as the 2 receiver. Dri Archer is a rocketship. He'll break a few this year with his speed and shiftiness.

The big question, as always, is the backups. If Ben goes down the Steelers are done. Bruce Gradkowski is just barely capable at best and Landry Jones is a bum. The fill-ins on the offensive and defensive lines will make things very interesting, to say the least. The receivers are a talented grab-bag, you never know who will show up. Of course, if they were good enough to start they wouldn't be backups, so a letdown is expected. Unfortunately, the difference between the starters and the backups seems pretty big, so every game will be an exercise in holding my breath and hoping for the best.

In the end, though, the Steelers ought to win the division. The Browns are still the Browns, the Bengals and Ratbirds are hampered by their average-at-best quarterbacks (especially Baltimore, where Flacco's contract killed their salary cap), and Pittsburgh's third-place schedule is fairly easy. They have the Saints and the division games along with one against the maybe-not-for-real Chiefs and a handful of sub-.500 teams from last year. With their starting roster, aging though it may be in key positions, they ought to win at least 10 games. They could easily start 10-1 if I give a win to the hated Ratbirds. I mean, who will beat them? Cleveland? Jacksonville? Tampa? The hapless Texans? Anything can happen, of course, but come on, those teams chomp royal.

So here's to another division championship. The Steelers are back to being the Beasts of the AFC North, and with that comes the opportunity to make another run at the Super Bowl. All they have to do is make it happen. I, for one, can't wait to find out if it does see it.