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NFL Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings: Steelers kick off the offseason outside the Top 10

The 2018-2019 season just ended, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t too early to look forward to next year’s Power Rankings.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Oakland Raiders Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The 2018-2019 NFL season is less than 48 hours old, and those major media outlets are always churning out content looking ahead. As a sucker for these items, when I saw ESPN put out their Way-Too-Early-Power-Rankings I bit on the bait.

Count me as someone who realizes these rankings mean absolutely nothing, but at the same time I am always curious about a couple things. First, where the Pittsburgh Steelers rank among the rest of the teams in the league. Second, what the “expert” is saying about the Steelers at this particular time. Lastly, I always like to keep track of where the Steelers rank, and where they go from there.

Considering the offseason has just begun, the Steelers find themselves on the outside of the Top 10, looking in. This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, considering their drastic drop off after their 7-2-1 start to the season. Where to they actually fall in the rankings?

No. 11.

This seems to be right where the Steelers should be, considering they missed out of the playoffs, and are the only team who didn’t make the playoffs listed anywhere near the Top 10.

Check out the list below:

ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Power Rankings

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. New Orleans Saints
4. New England Patriots
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. Chicago Bears
7. Indianapolis Colts
8. Seattle Seahawks
9. Houston Texans
10. Baltimore Ravens
...
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
Reason for optimism: Better kicking and a more opportunistic defense. The Steelers can’t possibly expect to be among the league’s five worst in kicking and turnover margin in 2019. Last year’s team ranked 31st in kicking with seven missed field goals and 28th in turnover margin at minus-11. The defensive front seven led by Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt knows it needs more splash. And even an average kicking game -- either with Chris Boswell or a free agent -- will help secure the close games that the Steelers found ways to lose late in the season.”

...

What do you think of the rankings? Do you think the Steelers should be ranked higher? Do you think the top team should be another team, like the defending Super Bowl Champions? Let us know in the comment section below!