Saturday, October 17, 2020

Pittsburgh Steelers Week 6 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Pittsburgh Steelers rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 5.4 (5th)
  • Best ranking: 2nd (CBS Sports)
  • Worst ranking: 9th (USA Today)

Below you will find a Week 6 roundup for the Steelers in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 6

They somehow did it again in the draft with Chase Claypool. The rookie wide receiver had seven catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns on 11 targets in the Steelers' win over the Eagles. He also added a rushing touchdown. And the truth is Claypool could have had an even bigger game. He had a 42-yard touchdown called back for a highly questionable offensive pass interference penalty. And he just missed a 33-yard gain because he couldn't get a second foot in bounds. For the most part, Pittsburgh has transformed into a ball-control offense that relies on efficiency. Ben Roethlisberger's average pass Sunday traveled just 5.9 yards past the line of scrimmage, which was second lowest among starters. He got rid of the ball on average in 2.26 seconds, which was tied for second fastest. The Steelers are 4-0, but they're still trying to figure out what formula is going to work best for them.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 2

At 4-0, they sit atop the AFC North heading into a big early-season game with the Browns. The pass offense is coming alive.

USA Today -- Rank: 9

They remain undefeated ... and they -- vaunted defense included -- continue to struggle relative to lineup of poor teams faced. Big test vs. Cleveland in Week 6.

ESPN -- Rank: 6

Biggest weakness: The deep ball

Ben Roethlisberger is off to a solid start with 10 touchdown passes, one interception and a 67% completion rate. But one crucial thing is missing from his arsenal: the deep ball. It's not that Roethlisberger can't get the ball down the field after elbow surgery; it's that he is missing his receivers. Big Ben has the highest off-target rate (59%) and fourth-worst completion rate (24% for 4-of-17) on throws 20-plus yards downfield this season, per ESPN Stats & Info data. The veteran quarterback joked after Sunday's win that maybe the surgeons gave him too much arm strength. -- Brooke Pryor

NFL.com -- Rank: 4

The Steelers are 4-0 for the first time in 41 years (how is this possible?) and Chase Claypool has officially arrived as the organization's latest bull's-eye hit at wide receiver. Claypool, the second-round pick out of Notre Dame, flashed his playmaking ability in Pittsburgh's first three wins, but he exploded on Sunday with four touchdowns in a 38-29 win over the Eagles. Like Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Diontae Johnson before him, Claypool's arrival shows off Pittsburgh's uncanny ability to find first-round-caliber talent outside the top 32 picks of every draft class. It's no coincidence why certain teams remain competitive year after year.

+ Previous update: Pittsburgh Steelers Week 5 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

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