Pittsburgh Steelers season preview: Division favorites

[polamalubeast]

Change we can believe in


Once tabbed as "old and slow" by Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, Pittsburgh's defense has grown faster and more dynamic with the addition of former Panthers safety Mike Mitchell, rookie defensive end Stephon Tuitt and first-round linebacker Ryan Shazier. Set to pair inside with Lawrence Timmons, Shazier has turned heads all summer and looms as a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

The youth movement extends to the offense, where veteran receiver Antonio Brown was given help in the form of fourth-round wideout Martavis Bryant and rookie Dri Archer, with the latter set to see snaps as a pass-catching, kick-returning, ball-carrying X-factor. We also like the addition of LeGarrette Blount, a power runner who might play a bigger role than some expect alongside Le'Veon Bell.

General manager Kevin Colbert deserves credit: Pittsburgh had the look of a team slow-burning toward decline, but this year's draft and free-agency haul restocked the Steelers at key positions and has them rolling into the season as the AFC North's team to beat.



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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...sion-favorites

[Steeldude]

I will wait to see. As of now the Steelers are 3rd in the AFC North.

[GBMelBlount]

Our offense should pick up where they left off last season and our defense will be better overall.

I see us at #2 and rising.

[polamalubeast]

Last year,the steelers have finish 2nd in the AFC North,despite the 0-4 start...

[X-Terminator]

The Bungles are still division champs, so they are the team to beat. However, I do think the Steelers will be better than they were last season and have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs. Best team in the AFC North? I'm not 100% sure on that. The Bungles are still good despite having Howdy Doody at QB, and the Ravens are the Ravens.

[SteelerFanInStl]

The Bungles are still division champs, so they are the team to beat. However, I do think the Steelers will be better than they were last season and have a legitimate chance at making the playoffs. Best team in the AFC North? I'm not 100% sure on that. The Bungles are still good despite having Howdy Doody at QB, and the Ravens are the Ravens.

Agreed. The Bungles are still the team to beat in the AFC North. Steelers will compete with the Ravens for 2nd.

[st33lersguy]

The Steelers can win the division, however they will have stiff competition from Baltimore and Cinci

[polamalubeast]

It's still a good division and the ravens, steelers and bengals can be very good, but I think this division is very winnable right now

This division is not as strong as it was between 2008-2011 when the steelers and ravens was both a Super Bowl contender

[Edman]

Until further notice, the Steelers are still an 8-8 Average team and are playing for second place in the AFC North. One solid performance in a preseason game against the Bills doesn't change that.

Though to be honest, it's not like the Bengals and Ravens have been head-and-shoulders above them either. The Steelers had the best division record last year (4-2), and their losses in the division were pretty close, and let's not forget the beatdown they put on Cincinnati in Pittsburgh last year, despite being 5-8 and the Bengals being within striking distance of the division at the time, and they continue to split with the Ravens too.

The Steelers will contend in a very winnable AFC North division, but the favorites? Not even close.

[dislocatedday]

I don't know that the Steelers can be considered the division favorites at this point..........but what I do feel is this......heading into the previous 2 seasons I had a gut feeling that the team was slowly declining even if it was hard to admit it (particularly on the defensive side of the ball)........this season I 100% feel that the Steelers are on the upswing and improving (both on offense and defense). Whether they win the division or not, I expect that this year's team will be much more exciting that what was on display the last 2 years.