PITTSBURGH — The 8-2 Pittsburgh Steelers are feeling very confident after their 18-16 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. They are sitting atop the AFC North with a game and a half lead and they are the No. 3 seed in the AFC with control for the No. 1 seed.
Quarterback Russell Wilson, who has been a part of two teams that went to the Super Bowl, believes the 2024 Steelers are among the special teams he’s been on and can contend for a championship this season.
“Yeah, I definitely think we have a chance,” Wilson said. “I think the biggest thing for us is continuing to take each week as the most important week of it all.”
The Steelers have done things in a bit of an unconventional way this season. Head coach Mike Tomlin benched quarterback Justin Fields, who was 4-2 at the time, for Wilson.
It was a move that was highly criticized, but it looks like it was the right decision as Wilson has the Steelers offense averaging 27.25 points per game since taking over in Week 7.
Wilson credits the offense’s recent success to the work they put in, on and off the field, during the early portions of the year.
“Really since OTAs when we first got here and guys coming to San Diego, especially offensively, we just bonded in such a great way,” Wilson said. “I think that’s been fun, and then obviously Latrobe was great and the hard work you put in there.”
Wilson isn’t the only Steelers veteran who thinks this team is special. While linebacker T.J. Watt has never won a playoff game, nonetheless a Super Bowl like Wilson, he knows what it takes to be great.
He believes this team is different from previous years.
“I don’t wanna discredit other seasons, but it definitely feels like we are a collective unit, and that’s not even just defensively,” Watt said. “That’s special teams. That’s offense, defense, all together. It’s not only just on the field, it’s off the field as well.”
The Steelers defense has been one of the best units in the league, allowing the second-fewest points per game (16.2), and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward thinks they’re still getting better.
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That will be needed during the Steelers gauntlet of a second half schedule.
Many of the Steelers biggest critics have used their schedule against them, but they actually lead the league with five victories over teams that currently have winning records.
Watt says they can only focus on who they are told to play.
“We’re just trying to play who’s on the schedule,” Watt said. “We’re trying to win. We’re trying to get better each and every week. I feel like that’s something we’ve been able to do.”
If the Steelers continue finding ways to win, they may just get a shot at their seventh Vince Lombardi Trophy.