Is 11-6 Enough to Get Aaron Rodgers & the Steelers Back in the Playoffs?

Nobody had played the Pittsburgh Steelers win-loss game yet this summer, which Rich noted is its own small upset with August basically here. David from Ohio fixed that.

He walked the whole schedule and came out at 11-6.

The wins came in bunches. Falcons at home to open, the Bengals at home, a Thursday night trip to Cleveland that made Rich groan out loud, the Colts, the Saints in Paris, the Browns again at home, a road win in Philadelphia, the Texans in December, a Monday night in Jacksonville, the Panthers, and the Titans. The losses were the Patriots, the Buccaneers, the Bengals in Cincinnati, the Broncos the day after Thanksgiving, and both Ravens games.

"Ravens sweep us," David said, and that was the season.

Rich did not argue with the record. He argued with which game actually tells you anything.

"You want a measuring stick? You didn't ask for one. I'll give it to you," he said. "December 6th, Texans at the Steelers."

The reason is recent and it stings. Houston went into Pittsburgh and, in Rich's words, absolutely curb-stomped the Steelers out of the playoffs. That was Mike Tomlin's last game on the sideline as head coach.

"If they flip that around, okay, now you're talking," Rich said.

The problem is what comes after. Pittsburgh does not see Baltimore until the last month, and the league sat on that pairing until the Sunday before Christmas. Rich pointed out the same scheduling logic elsewhere, with the Rams and Seahawks not meeting until two of the last three weeks.

You could argue for the Eagles or the Broncos as the real test. Rich thinks that misses it. The Texans defense already proved what it does to this offense, and it is only a year wiser.

"I don't think they got longer in the tooth, and I think they're going to be coming," he said.

Which puts the burden exactly where you would expect. Mike McCarthy is adding a new layer. The offense should be better. Aaron Rodgers should be more comfortable. And somebody has to keep him upright long enough for the ball to come out fast.

Rich also worked in the caveat about DK Metcalf not pulling anybody's fake hair three weeks beforehand, which he noted tends to screw things up for everybody, including Metcalf.

Even with all of that, 11-6 clears the bar.

"11 and 6 would make the playoffs and give Rodgers one more shot at the ticket," Rich said.

The market is less convinced. Pittsburgh has the third best odds to win the division and the 10th best odds to win the AFC. When Rich asked who the playmakers actually are, the room started throwing out names: DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, Jaylen Waddle.

Pittman is the one Rich keeps coming back to.

"That was a heck of a trade. That one I liked a lot," he said. The crew saw him in person when the show was in Pittsburgh for the draft, and the takeaway was simple. Michael Pittman is big.

Add Bernard from the draft and Rico Dowdle in the backfield and there is a supporting cast here. The offensive line, Rich noted, has at least gotten itself a mullet, even if the man wearing it is listed third string right now.

The forgotten name that surfaced was Roman Wilson, and the table was ready for him to show everybody what he did in college. Rich remembered that college connection fondly, and said it is time for both of those guys to connect with their receivers.

That is the whole season in one sentence. Protect the quarterback, get the pass catchers going, stay healthy on defense, and flip one December game against Houston.