PITTSBURGH — A month ago, many of us left the Steelers for dead. They had lost three consecutive games — the first two on back-to-back weekends at home — to fall to 1-3. The offensive line was a mess. Najee Harris had nowhere to run. There were public cries for washed-up Ben Roethlisberger to be benched. JuJu Smith-Schuster would be lost for the season early in the fifth game.
But now?
Could the Steelers be the team to beat in the AFC North? Could they be a playoff team, at least?
I'm thinking the answer to both questions is yes.
I can't believe I just wrote that sentence.
The Steelers deserve a lot of credit. They won the game they had to win last Sunday in Cleveland to go to 4-3. The line has made dramatic improvements. Harris was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month for October. Roethlisberger, though not the Big Ben of old, still looks to have some winning football left.
As a result, the Steelers are right in the hunt in the division race. They are closely tracking Baltimore (5-2) and Cincinnati (5-3) and are ahead of the troubled Browns (4-4). Who saw this coming?
It helps that the Steelers are looking at a favorable schedule with their next two games at home. They have Chicago on Monday night and Detroit next Sunday. They should be 6-3 before the schedule gets significantly more difficult. It will be a major disappointment if they aren't 6-3.
The Steelers also have had a few breaks go their way. Their good fortune started when they played and defeated the Seattle Seahawks, who were without an injured Russell Wilson. It appears to have continued with bizarre, sad, even tragic developments in the NFL last week.
Look what is happening with the other AFC North teams:
CLEVELAND
The Browns' 15-10 loss to the Steelers might have been the best part of their week. Things got much worse when the father of star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. posted an 11-minute video accusing quarterback Baker Mayfield of freezing out his son. Mayfield was stunned and hurt. The locker room appears to be torn between Beckham and Mayfield. Good luck to coach Kevin Stefanski sorting through the drama.
CINCINNATI
Just when you thought the Bengals no longer were the Bungles, they lost to the New York Jets. Nobody loses to the Jets, right?
BALTIMORE
The Ravens' bye week came at a good time last week. They were embarrassed by 24 points at home by Cincinnati in their previous game. Earlier in the season, they needed an NFL-record 66-yard field goal by Justin Tucker to beat Detroit and overtime to beat Indianapolis.
Other AFC teams that figure to be in the playoff chase also are reeling or took a hit last week:
TENNESSEE
The Titans are 6-2 and are going to win the South division. But they could be without Derrick Henry — one of the best running backs of all time — for the rest of the season. They play the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Dec. 19. No Henry should make for an easier challenge for the Steelers.
LAS VEGAS
Somehow, the Raiders (5-2) are 2-0 since coach Jon Gruden was forced to resign. How long will that success continue? The team also has to deal with a tragedy involving 2020 top pick Henry Ruggs III, who caused a horrific automobile accident early Tuesday. Ruggs, a wide receiver who caught a 61-yard touchdown pass when the Raiders beat the Steelers in September, was drunk and driving 156 mphwhen his Corvette crashed into another vehicle, killing a young woman and her dog.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
The Chargers are 4-3 but lost at home to New England last week after getting blown out in Baltimore the week before. We'll see if they regroup before they play the Steelers at home Nov. 21.
KANSAS CITY
The Chiefs (4-4) are the most disappointing team in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes already has thrown 10 interceptions after throwing a total of 11 the previous two seasons. Who can explain that? I'm sure Melvin Ingram believes he will solve all of the Chiefs' many defensive problems. The team also should benefit from getting the Green Bay Packers on Sunday without COVID-stricken Aaron Rodgers.
It's easy to think the Steelers and the Chiefs still will be relevant in the playoff race when the teams meet in Kansas City on Dec. 26. The Steelers' home game against Cleveland and road game at Baltimore to close the regular season also should be meaningful.
Tell the truth.
Did you really think that might be a possibility when the Steelers were 1-3?
I didn't.
