Last Sunday night, Aaron Rodgers led the Pittsburgh Steelers back to his old stomping grounds of Green Bay for a showdown with the Packers that ended with the AFC North-leading squad beaten down, 35-25, in a game that was not as close as the score suggests.
Before that, the team was beaten, 33-31, by a Bengals team that appeared to be down and out before summing that Joe Flacco magic and knocking off a team he was all too familiar with.
It looked like the wheels may be falling off for the Steelers; that the same Bengals and the sub-par Baltimore Ravens may have a chance at clawing their way back into the division.
Then came Sunday’s Week 9 showdown with the 7-1 Indianapolis Colts.
Pittsburgh’s defense, much-maligned for most of the season to that point, stepped up and shut down one of the most potent offenses in the league. They forced six turnovers (three fumbles, three interceptions) and made life miserable for quarterback Daniel Jones, sacking him five times.
Despite the Colts tightening up the score to within seven, the home team was the better squad all game, making a statement to a league that thought they may have figured Rodgers, TJ Watt, and the rest of the Steelers out.
The question is: would the real Pittsburgh Steelers please stand up?
Is this the team that hosted the Colts and beat up one of the best surprises of this season or are they the squad that was pushed around by Green Bay and upset by Cincinnati?
If the defense comes around and can realize its fullest potential, it will be squad that is mighty scary for any opponent come the all-important back end of the NFL schedule and a legitimate Super Bowl contender.