NFL Power Rankings, Week 11: Steelers win over Saints does little to raise their ranking

The Pittsburgh Steelers were winners in Week 10 of the 2022 regular season, beating the New Orleans Saints at Acrisure Stadum. Through ten weeks of the regular season it has been extremely difficult to gauge where the Steelers rank among their NFL peers.

How far did the team rise after winning in Week 10? Based on this week’s NFL Power Rankings, not too far, but that isn’t say much considering where they were ranked before their third win of the season.

All in all, the Steelers’ rankings this week were all over the map. The truth might be somewhere in the middle, but it’s that time of the week where we take a look at other outlets’ rankings after Week 10 of regular season action.

Let’s get to the rankings...

ESPN

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Miami Dolphins
5. Buffalo Bills
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. New York Giants
8. San Francisco 49ers
9. Dallas Cowboys
10. New York Jets
...
27. Pittsburgh Steelers

“Who was on the hot seat in preseason: ILB Devin Bush
Temperature of seat right now: Lukewarm

To be clear, this isn’t a referendum on Bush’s performance this season. The Steelers’ 2019 first-round pick has played pretty well this season, racking up 47 combined tackles and 3.5 stuffs. Bush responded well to Brian Flores’ addition to the coaching staff, and head coach Mike Tomlin is pleased with Bush’s performance so far, saying that he was starting to perform to his pre-ACL tear level. The Steelers, though, didn’t pick up Bush’s fifth-year option, making him a free agent after this season. There’s still the possibility he could return on a short-term deal like the one safety Terrell Edmunds signed in the 2022 offseason.”

NFL.com

1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Miami Dolphins
5. Buffalo Bills
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. San Francisco 49ers
8. Dallas Cowboys
9. Tennessee Titans
10. New York Jets
...
25. Pittsburgh Steelers

“The return of T.J. Watt means the Steelers won’t be getting pushed around anymore. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year didn’t fill up the box score on Sunday against the Saints, but he drew plenty of attention and created opportunities for teammates in a 20-10 win. While Watt was getting up to speed, Najee Harris looked like a player who was finally getting on track. The second-year running back had 99 of Pittsburgh’s 217 rushing yards, ground production that took the pressure off Kenny Pickett, who threw for 199 yards without a turnover. This isn’t the most exciting football in the league, but the Steelers are just happy to get back to winning.”

CBS Sports

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Miami Dolphins
5. Buffalo Bills
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Dallas Cowboys
9. San Francisco 49ers
10. Cincinnati Bengals
...
22. Pittsburgh Steelers

“Getting T.J. Watt back really helped the defense get back on track. They impressed in beating the Saints this week with that defense.”

The Sporting News

1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Minnesota Vikings
4. Miami Dolphins
5. Buffalo Bills
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Tennessee Titans
8. New York Giants
9. San Francisco 49ers
10. Dallas Cowboys
...
25. Pittsburgh Steelers

“The Steelers saw a more confident Kenny Pickett after the bye, avoiding mistakes, running when needed and hitting on the big plays that become available. The defense also went back to being disruptive with T.J. Watt.”

Pro Football Network

Tier 5 | It’s Already Draft Season

26. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were the far better team on Sunday against New Orleans. Pittsburgh’s defense was outstanding, and the return of T.J. Watt made a massive impact on the Steelers’ pass rush. Although they only sacked Dalton twice, they consistently got pressure and forced the ball out quickly.

The Steelers’ passing attack is still struggling, but their run game got going a little bit against the Saints, who are historically one of the most difficult teams in the league to run against. They still need to get more from Kenny Pickett to feel comfortable with him moving forward, but the entire offense needs to be better to get a good grasp on his ceiling.

What do you think of these rankings? Should the Steelers be higher? Are they ranked too high? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they prepare for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11.