Takeaways From The Steelers’ Big Win In Week 11

It is no secret that NFL referees are an inconsistent mess, but the garbage calls were on full display in Week 11. Bad calls are bound to happen. It’s impossible to expect the referees to be perfect, but there has to be consistency. Jalen Ramsey got thrown out of the game for throwing a punch, but everybody missed the loogie that Ja’Marr Chase put on Ramsey. That’s the lowest level scumbag stuff that a man can do. Chase deserved his one-game suspension. Ramsey was in the right. The best receiver in football was butthurt that James Pierre had him in a box all day.

4. Rodgers’ Struggles Continue

Aaron Rodgers struggled in Los Angeles and again this week against the Bengals. It’s becoming a concerning trend, but anyone who is calling for Mason Rudolph to start over him needs their head checked. In Week 11, Rodgers went 9/15 with 116 yards and one touchdown while facing pressure on what felt like every snap. It’s not time to smash the panic button yet, but Rodgers has to be better if the Steelers want to contend. 

3. Next Man Up

Mike Tomlin’s team had to lean on the next man up mentality in Week 11. Kenneth Gainwell did a great job picking up the slack after Jaylen Warren hurt his ankle. Gainwell posted 16 touches for 105 yards and two receiving touchdowns. James Pierre did a great job for a depleted cornerback room, keeping Chase behind bars all day. Rudolph came in for an injured Rodgers and did what he needed to do. It wasn’t pretty, but they managed to get it done. 

2. The Steelers Defense Steps Up

Unlike the first meeting with the Bengals, the Steelers’ defense looked great in Week 11. Kyle Dugger made his first splash play in Pittsburgh with a 74-yard pick-six that turned the tide. Pierre picked up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Nick Herbig was flying around all day. Before he was ejected, Ramsey was playing a great game. This defense can be a weapon when they’re firing on all cylinders. It needs to happen every week. 

1. A Gigantic Divisional Win 

The Steelers started the season 4-1 but have since squandered their gap on the AFC North. Every game is a must-win now, especially divisional games like this. The Baltimore Ravens are right on their tail, and the two teams still haven’t played each other this season. Nothing is ever easy in this division. It could all come down to Week 18, when the Steelers host the Ravens at Acrisure Stadium. 

End Of My Steelers Rant

Pittsburgh got its revenge and picked up a huge win in Week 11, but it still has to be better. The offense needs to get back to the way it looked in the first half of the season. Playing complementary football is the key to success in the NFL, and the Steelers have not done that on a consistent level yet this season. The defense has stepped up, but the offense has fallen off a cliff. It’s time to put it all together at the right time and go on a run, starting with a win in Chicago next week.