Bold prediction for 2015
With 2014 rapidly coming to a close and 2015 just around the corner, I considered reflecting on the past 365 days of sports at the various levels from high school to pro.
However, I thought I’d put my neck on the line a bit more than usual and make a bold prediction for next year.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have already clinched their spot in the AFC playoffs. How far do I think they will go? How about a seventh Super Bowl title?
Believe me, I am far from a diehard fan of the Black and Gold. There are definite holes on this team, but they seem to be shrinking as the regular season comes to a close. One of the Steelers’ biggest problems throughout much of the 2014 campaign is the play of the defensive secondary, which is still far from an elite group in the NFL. However, the improved play of William Gay has at least given opposing coaches and quarterbacks something to think about when putting the ball in the air.
Moving closer to the line of scrimmage, the Steelers’ young linebackers are getting healthier. Sean Spence, Jarvis Jones and Ryan Shazier are all seeing their snaps increase. Unfortunately, the production hasn’t exactly made the same sort of a rise, but at least the team is able to refresh its depth chart. If guys like Jones and Shazier can start to tap into seemingly deep wells of potential, this team is going to be very dangerous.
While the Pittsburgh defense is still a work in progress, the offense has transformed into not only one of the best in the league, but maybe the greatest in team history. Now, I know a lot of people will point towards the 1970s teams that featured Hall of Fame talent at quarterback, running back and wide receivers, as the best ever to wear black and gold.
However, I believe that, by the time all is said and done, Ben Roethlisberger will be recognized as a far superior player to Terry Bradshaw, who barely completed 50 percent of his passes. Assuming he can stay healthy, Le’Veon Bell looks like he could be the greatest all-around back since Marshall Faulk. Antonio Brown is quickly making people forget about Hines Ward, and there was no tight end during the first glory days of the franchise that could compare to Heath Miller.
While Bell is clearly the man when it comes to the running game, the Steeler passing game, which has already amassed 4,508 yards through the air, good for second in the NFL, may have not yet reached its full potential. Rookie Martavis Bryant looks like a superstar in the making with his blazing speed, 6-4, 211-pound frame and underrated hands. He and Brown could be recognized as the top pass-catching duo in the league by next year. If second-year man Markus Wheaton continues to develop, this unit will be simply unstoppable.
The offense may need to carry the defense through the postseason, but this is a team playing its best football on both sides of the ball at the right time. Other members of the AFC elite are also stumbling down the stretch. The AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals were already dominated by the Steelers once this season. The Indianapolis Colts were humiliated by Dallas last weekend and Denver, while it has strengthened its running game, doesn’t have the same air of fear and dread surrounding its passing game.
So, if the Steelers make it to the big game, what opponent would provide the biggest problem for the Black and Gold? How about the last team Pittsburgh squared off with in the title tilt? That would be the Green Bay Packers. Pittsburgh battled them in Super Bowl XLV and ultimately fell 31-25. I believe the outcome would be similar in a rematch, because the Packers feature a similar roster, especially when it comes to a passing game boasting multiple Pro Bowl-caliber wide receivers and maybe the NFL’s best quarterback in Aaron Rodgers. While Bell gives the Steelers the advantage in the running game, the Packers’ pass defense, while not the best in the league by any stretch, is certainly better than Pittsburgh’s 27th-ranked unit.
Staying in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions are also a strong contender for the NFC crown, with its No. 1 overall defense and the seemingly uncoverable Calvin Johnson at receiver. Sticking with the whole “hottest team in the postseason” idea, the Cowboys could meet the Steelers for a fourth time for the Lombardi Trophy.
So, would I bet my house on Pittsburgh making it through the AFC playoffs and all the way to Super Bowl XLVIII in Glendale, Ariz.? Definitely not.
However, I will give the team at least a fighting chance for lucky No. 7 ring.