As most of the rest of the NFL played their games on Sunday, Steelers fans were forced to sit back and think about what this team can do to finish out the 2023 season. Sitting in a large cluster of teams that are 7–6, the Steelers would be in the playoffs if they started next week. But are they a team that’s ready to make the push to get there?

After losing the last two contests, ones that on paper should’ve been there easiest wins of the season, does not instill much confidence the Steelers are a team that deserve playing in the postseason. But with the extra time off, perhaps Steelers can get some perspective and put some things together to pull out games down the stretch.

Perhaps.

With their recent struggles, there are a number of fans who are calling for wholesale changes with the Steelers coaching staff. While I don’t necessarily disagree with them, there were some statements that I’ve noticed that I don’t agree with. Perhaps this is just in my own sphere of hearing things in person, on social media, and as comments on podcasts, but I hear a number of fans talking about how the Steelers have too much talent to not succeed.

Sorry, but I don’t see it that way.

When it comes to the defense, the Steelers definitely have some star power with players such as T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Patrick Peterson is likely to be a Hall of Fame player but isn’t who he once was, and Joey Porter Jr. is just getting started and we’re not sure exactly yet who exactly he will be. While there may be some holes, some of which are due to injury, the Steelers also have the quality players to go with it.

But what about the offense?

Those fans who claim the Steelers have a bunch of talent on offense, I simply don’t see what they’re talking about. As I brought up last season when the Steelers played the Philadelphia Eagles, and got it handed to them pretty bad, I felt that if the Steelers and Eagles had to combine teams much like they did in 1943, I didn’t see very many Steelers cracking the starting lineup. And when I came to offense, I wasn’t sure there would be any.

This got me thinking. There are no offensive players on this current Steelers roster who would even be considered for the honor of All-Pro. I’m not sure if there’s any that would make the Pro Bowl as a first selection. But this had me thinking even more…

What if there was an all AFC North team? And if there was, would any offensive players from the Steelers make it?

Unlike the Pro Bowl when they fill out a complete roster, this would be much like the All-Pro team were they would simply be one player per position unless that position has multiple players in the starting lineup. When looking at the AFC North, I couldn’t come up with any members of the Steelers offense that would be the best at their position in order to make this team. Granted, I’m looking at this a little more holistically and would include players who may currently be out injured. If not, then the Steelers have a little bit more of a chance. But here is my all AFC North team at this time:

QB: Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow
RB: Nick Chubb
TE: Mark Andrews
WR: Ja’Marr Chase, Amari Cooper, Tee Higgins
T: Jack Conklin, Ronnie Staley
G: Wyatt Teller, Kevin Zeitler
C: Tyler Linderbaum

Let’s look at these by position. I went with Jackson or Borrow because I didn’t want to get in an argument of who is actually better. Personally, I would go with Burrow. But that wasn’t the point of this exercise. What’s more important is that it’s not a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

When it comes to running back, I think Nick Chubb is so far above and beyond that the fact that he only played a game and a half this season still has him as the best running back in the AFC North. If not, it might be one of his teammates.

Tight end is where it gets interesting. If you’re going with the most common personnel grouping in the NFL which is 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers), then Mark Andrews is the guy. If it is a two tight end formation, I think that Pat Freiermuth makes a great case for being the next tight end. The next closest player would probably be David Njoku but I’d take Freiermuth all day.

Tackles are a little tricky. I still went with Jack Conklin from the Browns and Ronnie Stanley from the Ravens. I think Broderick Jones has potential to be a player who would be in consideration next season. He simply doesn’t have enough starts yet this year.

The AFC North is pretty stacked guard, and the Steelers have two players that are actually very close. I went with Wyatt Teller and Kevin Zeitler even over Joel Bitonio. But if looking at Pro Football Focus (PFF) scores, both Seumalo and Daniels would be ahead of Bitonio and right in the mix.

As good as the AFC North is at guard, they are lacking at center across the board. The best I could come up with is Tyler Linderbaum for the Ravens and I don’t think he’s very good. A case could be made for Ethan Pocic from the Brown‘s, but I don’t think he compares anywhere close to their guards. And Ted Karras from the Bengals isn’t that far off. But regardless of who it is, the Steelers would come in a distant fourth.

So if looking at the best offensive players in AFC North by position, it’s pretty well balanced between the other three teams that aren’t the Pittsburgh Steelers. But it would take an argument to put anyone from the Steelers on the first team All-AFC North team. To me, this shows that the Steelers just don’t have the individual talent on offense that some fans believe they do.

So is there no hope for the Steelers offense?

I’m not saying that. For this one, I will use one of Mike Tomlin’s many favorite quotes and say this: “The strength of the pack is the pack.”

If the Steelers offense is going to come together and get the job done, it has to do it as a whole unit. Pat Freiermuth is going to get more opportunities at tight end if Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, and the rest of the wide receivers are getting it done as well. And if these players are getting it done, it’s going to open up more running lanes for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. If the running game is going, it’s going to help whoever is at quarterback have options for success. And for all of this to happen, your offensive line is going to have to both open holes and protect the quarterback.

Just because the Steelers don’t necessarily have any superstars on offense doesn’t mean that they can’t be a balanced and effective unit. But it also means they have a little room for error, should never struggle with overconfidence or taking another team lightly, and should realize that they have to seize every opportunity they are given.

Doing these things could overcome their lack of superstar talent on the roster.