Friday, December 4, 2020

Pittsburgh Steelers Week 13 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: 1.4 (1st)
  • Best ranking: 1st (Multiple)
  • Worst ranking: 2nd (Multiple)

Below you will find a Week 13 roundup for the Steelers in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 2

Exceeding expectations: I mostly hate the "this guy doesn't get enough credit" brand of football analysis, but it actually applies to Mike Tomlin. Last year he dragged a Mason Rudolph/Devlin Hodges-led team to a .500 record. And this year the Steelers are undefeated. Tomlin's 14-year stretch without a losing record is one of the most remarkable feats by a coach in recent memory. Tomlin has not been afraid to embrace a pass-heavy approach even though he's a defensive-minded coach. Tomlin consistently adapts to the team he has. That's the mark of a great coach.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 1

They didn't look great in beating a depleted Ravens team, but they keep on winning. At some point, they have to run the ball better.

USA Today -- Rank: 1

Caught up in another COVID-19 scheduling spin cycle, they'll have to navigate quite a gauntlet to get AFC's top seed ... and maybe 16-0.

ESPN -- Rank: 1

Most important game remaining: Week 14 at Buffalo

An undefeated season would be cool, but for the Steelers, the biggest goal is reaching the Super Bowl, and the best way to do that is to clinch the top seed in the AFC. To do that, the Steelers have to stay ahead of a one-loss Chiefs team -- which might mean going undefeated. The two biggest games left that could cause them to trip up are at Buffalo -- a team that beat the Steelers on "Sunday Night Football" a year ago and really started the slide that prevented them from making the playoffs -- and against Indianapolis in Week 16. -- Brooke Pryor

NFL.com -- Rank: 2

A Wednesday afternoon win over the Ravens wasn't pretty, but nothing was for this matchup, postponed three times in a chaotic Week 12 for both teams. Still, they got the game in, and the Steelers are 11-0 with a short week to prepare for Washington on Monday. The defense did what it was supposed to do against a deeply compromised Ravens offense, but the offense deserves nil in the way of plaudits. Pittsburgh failed to establish the run, while Ben Roethlisberger was let down numerous times by receivers who struggled with drops. If the Steelers are going to deliver a performance like that against a contender at full strength, you can pencil in that first loss right now.

+ Previous update: Pittsburgh Steelers Week 12 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

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