NFL Power Rankings, End of Season: Steelers end the season as nothing more than a mediocre team

The only consistent aspect of the Pittsburgh Steelers early in the season were their inconsistencies.

After an opening week tie with the Cleveland Browns, followed by a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Steelers had shown it all — amazing offense, head-scratching play calling and shoddy defense, among others.

Needless to say, the Steelers experienced a precipitous drop in the weekly NFL Power Rankings because of their poor play which resulted in a 0-1-1 record heading into Week 3. However, a 30-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football had the Steelers on the rise. Right on cue, the next week they suffered a 26-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football, the Pittsburgh roller coaster was again on the decline.

Have no fear Steelers fans, a dominant performance in Week 5 vs. the Atlanta Falcons in followed by a big win over the Cincinnati Bengals had the team continuing on their upward trend. Or as Mike Tomlin would say, “The arrow is pointing up.”

Inconsistent was the theme early with this team, but they seemed to have been rectified this after beating the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9 and the Carolina Panthers in Week 10, extending their winning streak to five straight games. A narrow victory in Jacksonville over the Jaguars has moved the Steelers’ win streak to six games, and continued their ascent in the weekly rankings.

What followed has been more losing than winning, capped off by an absolute heart-wrenching defeat to the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. They did cap the season off with a sloppy win over the Bengals in Week 17, but it was too little too late for the team’s playoff hopes.

In reality, these power rankings mean nothing, but they’re great for conversation and debate. At season’s end, the Steelers saw themselves not in the Top 10, but in the middle of the pack as nothing more than a mediocre team.

Check out the rankings, and let us know what you think in the comment section below!

ESPN

1. New Orleans Saints
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Chicago Bears
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New England Patriots
7. Hoston Texans
8. Baltimore Reavens
9. Seattle Seahawks
10. Indianapolis Colts
...
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
“New Year’s resolution: Become closers. The Steelers are the most talented team not in the playoffs because they turn the ball over too much and can’t win close games. After pumping out a six-game winning streak, the Steelers lost four of their last six games, all by seven points or fewer. The defense hemorrhaged touchdown drives in the final minutes. All of this created a dubious distinction: The Steelers are the third NFL team since 1990 to go 7-2-1 or better through 10 games and fail to make the playoffs, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.”

NFL.com

1. New Orleans Saints
2. Chicago Bears
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Kansas City Chiefs
5. New England Patriots
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Los Angeles Chargers
8. Indianapolis Colts
9. Houston Texans
10. Seattle Seahawks
...
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
“The Antonio Brown story -- the receiver didn’t play against the Bengals and left the game early -- is simply weird and doesn’t bode well for Mike Tomlin. As far as how Sunday played out, you had a better chance of frolicking with an endangered sea turtle in Oahu than the Steelers did of making the postseason. Pittsburgh needed to win and have the Browns beat the Ravens (or have the Colts and Titans tie), and things were looking especially dire when Lamar Jackson was sprinting through the Cleveland secondary like Omar Epps in “The Program” and Ben Roethlisberger was throwing a pick-six in the first half like it was a road game. Then the defense rallied the troops in Pittsburgh and Baker Mayfield’s Browns proved more than game in Baltimore. An exciting Sunday ended with the Steelers putting together a short drive behind Roethlisberger, leading to a game-winning field goal. Next, a gaggle of Pittsburgh’s players hung out on the field to watch Mayfield lead Cleveland on a triumphant march -- that was not to be. Now all the blame will fall on Mike Tomlin. What about the mere 16 points on offense, even after that game-winning kick? Is that on Coach T? In a related question, are you suffering from low T? Ah heck, just trying to divert from a rare playoffless season in Steelersville.”

CBS Sports

1. New Orleans Saints
2. Los Angeles Rams
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Chicago Bears
5. New England Patriots
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Los Angeles Chargers
8. Indianapolis Colts
9. Dallas Cowboys
10. Seattle Seahawks
...

14. Pittsburgh Steelers
“They can sum up their season with one word: Underachieving. It’s not a good look for coach Mike Tomlin.”