Although the Pittsburgh Steelers have remained in the playoff picture, they haven’t won their division since 2020. That was a disappointing year, too. The Steelers collapsed to end the season, ending with a loss in the first round of the playoffs. However, that drought could end this year. The Steelers are currently in first place in the AFC North, and their competition doesn’t look too stiff. Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson believes the AFC North is the Steelers’ division to lose.
“Absolutely,” Johnson said recently on his Nightcap podcast. “And honestly, I don’t see [the Steelers] losing it. I can say this, as much as I love my Bengals, I don’t see them losing it. Aaron Rodgers got them boys playing on all cylinders.
“As good as that defense is over in Pittsburgh, with the names that they do have, once they start yelling and playing that good football the right way, the way we know they can play, they’re going to be fine. As long as Aaron Rodgers is playing like Aaron Rodgers is playing, they’re always going to be in contention and they’re going to be hard to beat.”
It’s only Week 6, so it’s a little early to say that the division race is over. Last year, the Steelers were in first place for most of the season, but they couldn’t stay there. They lost their final four games of the regular season, and the Baltimore Ravens took the division crown.
However, things certainly look favorable for the Steelers at the moment. The Ravens aren’t the powerhouse some people expected them to be. They’ve been a serious disappointment, currently sitting at 1-5. Injuries have crushed them, and it’s going to be hard for them to crawl out of this hole.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns don’t look like credible threats to win the AFC North, either. The Bengals started well, but Joe Burrow is now out for most of the year. Without him, they’ve lost their last four games. The Browns are also 1-5 and in the middle of a rebuild. They’re more worried about the future than this year.
The Steelers haven’t been perfect. However, they’ve gotten better as the season has progressed. Meanwhile, the rest of the AFC North is scrambling. As long as the Steelers don’t totally implode, they’re in a good position to win the division for the first time in five years. It’s not over yet, though. Things could change at any time. The Steelers shouldn’t get comfortable.
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