The Pittsburgh Steelers are 6-3 despite ranking 28th in total yards per game (283.6) on offense. The general consensus is that Kenny Pickett doesn't have "it" and Matt Canada might be the worst offensive coordinator in the NFL. Pittsburgh has not out-gained an opponent once all season. It's so bad that LeBron James is citing the Steelers when talking about the Lakers' offensive impotence.
And yet, the Steelers are 6-3. That puts them squarely in the wild card race and only one game behind the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the competitive AFC North. And, with both the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns losing their starting QBs for the remainder of the season, the door is wide open for the Steelers to capitalize on a golden opportunity.
How can the Steelers keep pulling it off? Well, the simple answer would be "Mike Tomlin." He's widely considered one of the best coaches in the NFL for a reason. He alone guarantees a high floor, as evidenced by Pittsburgh's remarkable ability to close tight games despite the much-maligned offense and the roster's relative lack of experience.
Tomlin teams execute under pressure, and the Steelers' defense under Teryl Austin tends to come up clutch. But, the Steelers' defense ranks 28th in yards allowed per game (379.9), too. So it's not like the defense is completely enveloping opponents. The Steelers' record is borderline inexplicable. Some have even gone as far as to call it luck, or "smoke and mirrors."
Pittsburgh defensive tackle Cam Heyward takes exception that.
"Smoke and mirrors? Screw you. We work too hard for this. …. I think that's a cloud of smoke."
Cam Heyward pushes back against 'smoke and mirrors' narrative around Steelers' success
Cam Heyward has spent his entire 13-year career with the Steelers. He has a deep-rooted attachment to the city and to the franchise. And, frankly, no player is going to chalk up their success to luck. This response to the "smoke and mirrors" narrative should come as no surprise.
This is how Heyward should respond, too. Confidence is key, and whatever the Steelers have done in the first 10 weeks of the season has clearly placed them in a favorable position. It's not always pretty — heck, it's never pretty — but it has been effective. Pittsburgh has wins over Jacksonville, Baltimore, and Cleveland. They're not a product of a soft schedule or a weak division. Those wins also position the Steelers well for potential postseason tiebreakers.
Of course, we have only just passed the midway point in the season. At some point, it's hard to imagine an almost 100-yard gap between average yards gained versus average yards allowed not catching up to the Steelers eventually. Pickett threw for 126 yards in Pittsburgh's Week 10 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Over 200 yards on the ground saved the Steelers from a loss to a bad team. Generally, teams so reliant on the run won't face defenses as inflexible and exploitable as Joe Barry's crew.
The Steelers have momentum and luck on their side, but if the offense doesn't make marked improvement, one has to imagine the entire house of cards will collapse. Maybe the Steelers make the postseason, but there's a difference between making the postseason and accomplishing something once you're there. This Steelers team isn't built for a deep run, no matter how vehemently Heyward claims they are.
