The NFL's Week 7 games are winding down, and as always, there were lots of surprises and a few expected results. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, head coach Mike Tomlin and the team pulled off a much-needed win in France over the New Orleans Saints, 16-10.
The Steelers are looking stronger, and after seeing Sunday's game, it's becoming obvious what makes this team so difficult to beat. Sure, they have a strong offense with MVP-winning quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but there's more to it than just a simple offensive boost.
The Steelers can win even when their offense isn't at its best
What makes this team hard to beat is that the Steelers can control a game and grind out wins even when their offense isn't playing its best. That's something Jeremy Bergman of the NFL's official website points out in a takeaways piece about Week 7 showdowns.
"On the afternoon, Pittsburgh had only seven drives and found the end zone just once, but its long drives (four of 11-plus plays) killed clock, wearing down New Orleans' defense and keeping the Saints' offense off the field," he notes in the piece.
He adds, "An historic first game in France was just another walk in the park for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers' offense. Pittsburgh's balanced attack, paced by Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle (season-high 86 total yards) with a smattering of splash plays from Rodgers, ran through a Saints defense that bent to the Steelers' will, but rarely broke."
So, the Steelers are proving once again that they're a force this season. Certainly don't count them out for a deep run.
