This season has been odd for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve experienced a lot of ups and downs. At one point, they got knocked out of first place in the AFC North. They didn’t look anything like a playoff team. However, they’ve bounced back since then, winning their last two games. The Steelers look like they’re playing their best football, and Ben Roethlisberger recently discussed their potential.
“I’ve said this before when I played, the eventual Super Bowl champion, whatever team that is, has probably lost their last game already, at this point in the season,” Roethlisberger said Tuesday on his Footbahlin’ podcast. “Most likely, the eventual Super Bowl champion will not lose again. If that’s gonna be Pittsburgh, which I know fans out there are still like, ‘Well, we’re not that good,’ but they’re clicking.
“The defense is looking good, and you need to start looking good now. You can have all these errors leading up to this. Now’s the time. The question is gonna be, do we have a team right now that can get to a Super Bowl and potentially win it?”
Roethlisberger’s theory on Super Bowl champions going undefeated down the stretch isn’t bulletproof. The Steelers won two Super Bowls during his tenure with the team. While the Steelers ended 2005 on a four-game win streak, they lost 31-14 in Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans in 2008.
Also, the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl last year, and they lost to the Washington Commanders in Week 16. The Eagles’ starting quarterback left during that game with an injury, but the point still stands. A team can lose down the stretch and still win the Super Bowl.
Still, Roethlisberger’s sentiment isn’t wrong. Championship-caliber teams start playing their best football in December. Perhaps that could be the Steelers this year.
Former Steelers running back Merril Hoge joined Roethlisberger on the podcast. He feels that Pittsburgh’s upcoming game against the Detroit Lions will show if they can make a Super Bowl run. Roethlisberger seconded that.
“I would agree with that. Because Detroit is a Super Bowl-caliber team.”
The Lions were a Super Bowl-caliber team last year. However, this season has been a little rougher for them. They’re currently 8-6 and not in the playoffs. They’re still dangerous, but injuries have held them back.
However, that game will still be a nice test for the Steelers. They shut the Miami Dolphins’ run game down in Week 15, but that game was in Pittsburgh. Now, they’ll be forced to deal with one of the league’s best run games on the road.
If the Steelers’ defense is up for that task, then perhaps the team can be more dangerous in the playoffs. Calling them a Super Bowl contender might still be a stretch, though. The Steelers have had many issues this year, and even a win over the Lions won’t clinch them a playoff spot. Just as well, a loss in Week 16 won’t doom them. It’s a fluid situation.