Can the Steelers Take Down the Patriots?
**Assumptions made**
The Patriots are the heavyweight favorites. Some are saying QB Tom Brady is the league MVP even though he missed four games and the team only lost once without him. The No. 2 seed in the AFC, the closest team to the Patriots, is Kansas City. They only got that because the Raiders lost QB Derek Carr and got destroyed by the Broncos in Week 17, giving up the No. 2 spot. In Houston, QB Brock Osweiler was benched and is now back only because Tom Savage got hurt.
In short, the Patriots are the favorites to get to the Super Bowl as much because of whom they have to beat as because of what they’ve done. No one really thinks the Carr-less Raiders are a threat, the Texans stumbled through a weak division, and the Dolphins are still the Dolphins, a team that impressively rallied to get 10 wins, but even they are just in the playoffs because the Broncos fell apart and left the door open.
The Chiefs deserve some credit, but they don’t have that much firepower. Alex Smith threw just 15 touchdowns all season. That’s less than one per game, and he still had eight picks. You’re not going to beat the Patriots with maybe one touchdown.
So, that leaves the Steelers.
Pittsburgh has one thing all the rest lack: Experience. QB Ben Roethlisberger, who has won two Super Bowls, is far and away the best AFC QB not named Brady in the playoffs. No one else even comes close. He’s a guy who can be a top-five QB with ease when he’s healthy.
Overall, the Steelers have more complete offensive weapons than even the Patriots. Antonio Brown is better than any wideout they have. As effective as Julian Edelman has been, Brown is a game-changer, an athlete who is simply on another level. The same is true for Le’Veon Bell, who blew through the 1,000-yard mark even though he had to miss the first three games of the year.
Pittsburgh has been held back by injuries. Last season, those three barely played together at all. They missed time as a trio this season, as well. Notably, when the Patriots beat the Steelers in October, Roethlisberger was out. He’d just had surgery on his knee. Landry Jones got the start and the Steelers still only lost 27-16. That’s 11 points. You don’t think Roethlisberger is worth 11 points? He absolutely is.
The Patriots have been terrific. Brady has been nearly flawless. They deserve to be No. 1. But that doesn’t mean they’re unbeatable. If the Patriots and the Steelers meet in the postseason, it’s going to be one of the best, most hard-fought games of the year. Get your playoff tickets now!
