It’s not a complete return to glory, but it’s a start. Sunday’s 23-20 win over Baltimore gave Pittsburgh another week to live in the driver’s seat for the Wild Card in the playoff race. The injury bug has pretty much demolished the Steelers this season, and most notably, Ben Roethlisberger.
Charlie Batch is no Big Ben, but if he can continue to play mistake-free football, it at least gives the Steelers a fighter’s chance with a schedule of the Chargers, Cowboys, Browns and Bengals remaining. And if Batch can hold off the Chargers and give Roethlisberger one more week, he should be returning fully healed going into the playoffs really for the first time since 2008.
The problem with the Steelers the past couple of years is that they have gotten injured late in the season, and it has cost them big. I’m not saying this team is going to run the table all the way to New Orleans for the Lombardi. But this year’s team is having its plays come back healthy, and late in the year. And that has seemed to be the formula for the past two years when Green Bay had its run almost replicated by the Giants.
Super Bowl? Maybe not, but Batch pulled out a miracle that has Pittsburgh fans believing for at least one more week.
Top five games you can bet on this week
5. Indianapolis Colts (-5.5) over Tennessee Titans
Weren’t the Colts supposed to suck this year?
4. Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5) over Cleveland Browns
Seriously, who knew that Brady Quinn was still in the league?
3. Washington Redskins (-1) over Baltimore Ravens
With old Bob Griffin playing lights out, theRavens could not have had a worse time to lose Terrell Suggs, again.
2. Denver Broncos (-10.5) over Oakland Raiders
Big line for the Broncos, but what the hell, it’s Oakland.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (pick ’em) over San Diego Chargers
Lock it up.
This week: 3-2
The season: 28-21-1
SeriouslyPowerRankings
5. Green Bay Packers (9-3)
Packers are gaining steam and now have a really good shot at a first round bye.
4. Denver Broncos (9-3)
Peyton just keeps going Peyton on everyone. Probably the most viable option to unseat New England in the AFC.
3. Atlanta Falcons (11-1)
Probably the least convincing 11-1 team ever seen.
2. Houston Texans (11-1)
Texans have easily the most balanced team in the league.
1. New England Patriots (9-3)
Not a pretty win over the Dolphins, but the Pats stay on a roll.