Steelers 17 - Rams 12

The Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams (you know, the team that played in the Super Bowl last year) yesterday, 17-12.  The win was attributable in large part to a defensive effort that can be placed on the same page with some of the great performances of the Steelers' Steel Curtain past.

Need I remind you that the Steelers sat at 1-4 a little over a month ago and nobody foresaw that team playing with a back-up quarterback and no running game to speak of would be in such a position five weeks later.  History may well point out that the key to this turnaround came after Week Two when GM Kevin Colbert traded next year's first round draft choice to Miami for second year safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (seen above scoring a touchdown yesterday off of a fumble recovery).  Since then, Fitzpatrick had four interceptions and has scored two touchdowns.  His interception at the end of the game yesterday sealed the victory for the Steelers.  Since his arrival, he has drawn comparisons to Steelers icons Rod Woodson and Troy Polomalu.  He is a legitimate candidate for Defensive Player of the Year in the NFL.

In that same discussion is linebacker T.J. Watt.

Watt's play has been nothing short of astounding with sacks and forced fumbles and the constant pressure he applies to opposing teams quarterbacks.  If I had to vote for a Steelers MVP at this point in the season, it would be a coin-toss decision between Watt and Fitzpatrick.

On the other side of the ball, Mason Rudolph is not making us forget Ben Roethlisberger, not yet anyway, but he does seem to be getting better, and a competent game manager is what the Steelers need most at this point, and Rudolph is filling the bill.  It would help if he had a decent running game (please get healthy, James Conner) and receivers who wouldn't drop passes (four key drops yesterday).  Rudolph did look pretty good during that eight minute fourth quarter drive that led to a field goal yesterday.

Looking ahead, the Steelers could conceivably be favored in their next six games - @ Browns, @ Bengals, Browns, @ Cardinals, Bills, @Jets - leading up to the season finale against the Ravens in Baltimore.  It is unlikely that they will win all six of them and sit at  11-4 on that final Sunday, but would you be surprised to see them at 9-6 and in the hunt for a playoff spot at that point?  Unlike Steelers fans, though, the coaches and players seem to have adopted one-game-at-a-time approach, which is what you they really have to do.

One thing is for sure, though, is that the Steelers have turned this into a very interesting season, and, as I said, who saw that coming after that OT loss to Baltimore on October 6?

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The Steelers honored their past this weekend by celebrating "Steelers Alumni Weekend".  The celebration produced this very interesting team photo.

The Steelers are always looking forward in their approach to winning in the NFL, but it is nice that they celebrate and honor their past as well.  This picture sure denotes the passage of time, but it brings back a lot of great memories, too.