Steelers Showcase AFC Contender Status by Surviving Stretch Without Big Ben

The NFL season isn't always smooth sailing, but the best teams find ways to overcome tough obstacles. The Pittsburgh Steelers have already shown they have what it takes to be successful regardless of the conditions.

After a 25-13 upset win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Steelers improved to 4-2 and would be in position to make the playoffs if they started today. This wouldn't be all that surprising based on the talent on the roster, but it's incredible considering what the team has had to overcome this year.

Pro Bowl running back Le'Veon Bell was suspended for the first two games of the season. Dynamic second-year receiver Martavis Bryant was suspended for four games. A rough showing by kicker Josh Scobee arguably was a major factor in a Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

However, the biggest challenge was surviving a stretch without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The team's leader went down in Week 3 with a sprained MCL, leaving just an aging Michael Vick and unproven Landry Jones as alternative options at quarterback. Things looked bleak for the Steelers.

Despite surviving with a Week 3 win over the St. Louis Rams, the offense could barely move the football. After a Week 4 loss to fall to 2-2, it seemed Pittsburgh's season was doomed unless Roethlisberger could hurry back.

Then all of a sudden things turned around.

Vick didn't play any better in a Week 5 matchup on Monday Night Football, but the Steelers defense made key stops when needed and Bell produced just enough to put the team over the top. The running back earned the game-winning touchdown on this gutsy play as time expired:

Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times broke down everything working against them to win:

Of course, this was against the mediocre San Diego Chargers. This squad couldn't possibly have the same success against an elite opponent like the Cardinals, right? Wrong.

Vick once again struggled before leaving with a hamstring injury, opening the door for Jones to take over. He took advantage of the opportunity to finish with 168 passing yards and two touchdowns on 8-of-12 passing. A lot of which came on this amazing catch-and-run by Bryant:

Even though most of the credit goes to the receiver, getting the ball to your playmakers is a big part of being a successful quarterback. Vick couldn't do that and the team struggled. Jones came in and found his targets, and it led to a much better offensive performance.

Bell had high praise for the third-year player after the game, per Aditi Kinkhabwala of NFL.com:

Meanwhile, the defense came through with an outstanding performance against a Cardinals team that entered the week ranked first in the NFL with 38 points scored per game.

Carson Palmer has played well in 2015, but a major key for Arizona has been the efficient run game that ranks third in the league with 134.8 rushing yards per game and first with five yards per carry. On Sunday, Chris Johnson and company only totaled 55 yards on 20 carries (2.8 average). Last week the Chargers only managed 2.7 yards per carry against this defense.

This is a far cry from when Justin Forsett ran all over this unit in Week 4, and this is a major part of the team's success over the past two weeks.

Adding this to a plus-three turnover margin against one of the league's best ball-hawking teams and it was truly an outstanding all-around effort for the Steelers.

Head coach Mike Tomlin was proud of the performance after the game:

Pittsburgh didn't have its starting quarterback and star receiver Antonio Brown was quiet once again (three catches for 24 yards), but the Steelers came through as a team and earned a great win against a tough opponent. This is extremely encouraging going forward.

Roethlisberger could potentially return as early as next week, although Ian Rapoport of NFL Network called it a longshot (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com). In any case, the fact it is even considered a possibility means he will be back on the field before too long. When that happens, the Steelers will truly be a team to fear in the AFC.

Adding a perennial Pro Bowl quarterback to an offense featuring a good line and elite skill players will be fun to watch. Mix in a young defense that is getting better each week and this is a team no one will want to face.

After surviving with a 4-2 start despite the early problems, the Steelers will be a serious contender for the rest of the season.

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