NFL Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers’ Third-Quarter Season Grade

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The Pittsburgh Steelers came into the 2014 season with high expectations. The team made some moves that they usually don’t make in an effort to fix some of their woes on both sides of the ball. These moves added to the expectations for the Steelers, and the team hasn’t disappointed or wowed anyone to this point.

On the positive side for the Steelers, the team would be in the playoffs if the season ended today with a record of 7-4. They have shown up and beat some of the best teams in the league, including the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens are in the playoff hunt and the Colts are leading the AFC South, so both are big wins for Pittsburgh.

But at the same time, the Steelers have also played down to some of their competition, resulting in letdown games. The team lost to the then-winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then lost to a one-win New York Jets team only a week later. So for every great win and game the Steelers have, they also have a terrible loss.

Another area to look at with the Steelers is their draft class. The front office has been questioned for their drafts and many thought that this draft class would have to succeed to quiet the critics. So far, the draft class has been hit-or-miss like the team. Ryan Shazier has been great when healthy along with Martavis Bryant, who is flashing elite potential. However, other draftees like Stephon Tuitt and Dri Archer have disappointed in their roles at a high level.

Then there are the progressions of the individual players. Ben Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell are putting up career-high numbers for the offense, and that has helped the team to the record that they have. However, defensive players like Cortez Allen and Jarvis Jones (when he was healthy) have taken a step back in their progression as starters in Pittsburgh.

Third-quarter grade: B 

Justin Broyles is a Pirates writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @Tweets_ByJ, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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