6 Reasons Pittsburgh Steelers Could Fall Short of Super Bowl This Season

Though the Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the New England Patriots, 27-24, in Week 15, the team had already clinched the AFC North title and a guaranteed playoff berth. No matter where their seeding stands in two weeks' time, the Steelers will be among the 12 teams hoping to make it all the way to a Super Bowl win.

But obstacles to the Lombardi Trophy are in the way of all soon-to-be contenders. Here are six reasons why the Steelers could fall short of winning the franchise's seventh championship this season.

Ryan Shazier's Injury

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In Week 13, Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a scary and serious injury to his spine that has his playing career in jeopardy. He's since undergone surgery and the long rehabilitation process has begun, a path that is far more about having a healthy life than a resumption of his football career.

However, there is no doubt that his absence has had an overall negative effect on Pittsburgh's defense, one that could very easily hamper their attempt to earn another NFL championship this season.

Despite being off the field for the previous two games and most of Week 13's meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals, Shazier remains the Steelers' leading tackler, with 89 total (68 of them solo), as well as their leading interceptor, with three. He is also tied for the most passes defensed with 11 and has forced two fumbles. His influence over the Steelers' passing defense and run-stopping was notable and significant.

Without him, the Steelers have since twice given up over 100 rushing yards per game and have struggled in coverage, particularly in the middle of the field.

The latter was painfully clear in Week 15 against the Patriots, when tight end Rob Gronkowski totaled nine catches for 168 yards. The top-tier defense has clearly exposed cracks without Shazier and that could easily hurt the Steelers once January rolls around. 

Antonio Brown's Injury

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With 101 receptions for 1,533 yards, Antonio Brown is the top receiver in the league this season. He's also scored nine touchdowns, earned 71 first downs, averaged 17 yards per reception on third downs and has 478 yards after the catch. He's also likely to be on the shelf for the final two games of the regular season, according to Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com.

Brown suffered a partially torn calf muscle injury in the Steelers' Week 15 loss to New England. While quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had an impressive showing without Brown, completing 22 of his 30 pass attempts and connecting with seven non-Brown receivers, there's no doubt that a healthy Brown makes the Steelers' path to a Super Bowl win much less difficult.

Though Brown does not need surgery and is expected back for the postseason—and though the Steelers could also end the year with a first-round bye in the playoffs—there's no question that Brown will not be 100 percent healthy upon his return.

Though the Steelers are not at a loss for weapons on offense to help mitigate Brown's condition, not having the otherwise coverage-proof receiver will certainly be a limitation for Pittsburgh moving forward. 

Weaknesses in Coverage

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Tight coverage and pressure worked throughout most of the Steelers' eventual, last-second loss to the Patriots, but there were glimpses of the defense's weaknesses defending the pass evident interwoven into the effort. And those struggles could come back to haunt them once the postseason is underway.

Part of this is due to the absence of Shazier. But Pittsburgh's ability to control opponents' passing game has slipped notably since the team's Week 9 bye. The Steelers allowed a 200-plus yard passing game to opposing quarterbacks in only three games prior to it, but they have done so in five of their last six games.

Safety Sean Davis hasn't been as reliable against the pass as he was a year ago, and rookie cornerback Cameron Sutton is effectively learning on the job, only being activated from injured reserve and put on the field in recent weeks. Mike Mitchell has been working through numerous injuries, and Joe Haden still has not returned from the broken fibula he suffered in Week 10. 

Though traditional wideouts still haven't had much success against the Steelers, it is the middle-of-the-field passing game that has begun to sting them, as evidenced by tight end Rob Gronkowski's 186 yards in Week 15. With the Steelers seemingly on a collision course with the Patriots in the postseason, and a blueprint for passing success laid bare to Pittsburgh's other potential playoff foes, that midfield passing in particular could be a major hurdle to a Super Bowl win.

Strong NFC Field

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The Steelers are winners this year; there is no doubt. With 11 wins to three losses, and both an offense and a defense that ranks in the top 10 in yards and points, Pittsburgh is not backing its way into a divisional title or a playoff berth.

But there is also no doubt that the AFC's field of postseason contenders does not run as deep as it does in the NFC. If the Steelers become conference champions this season, a Super Bowl win is not a foregone conclusion.

The Steelers are among just three teams in the AFC boasting double-digit wins; meanwhile, the NFC has five such teams, most of whom are outscoring the AFC's best while limiting their opponents to fewer points. The Steelers have to this point only faced two of them—the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 and the Detroit Lions in Week 8—and though both were wins, the Vikings, in particular, are a far more formidable team than they were in September. 

While the Steelers could prove to be the class of the AFC, that may prove to be not much to brag about when faced with one of the well-rounded NFC powerhouses. Reaching the Super Bowl is not the same as winning it, and winning it will be difficult this year for any AFC contender.

Overworked Le'Veon Bell

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The Steelers have spent their season relying heavily on Le'Veon Bell's offensive contributions. But that heavy reliance could become a playoff problem if they did not manage his touches appropriately.

Bell leads the league in carries and in rushing yards, with 307 and 1,222, respectively. He's scored all eight of the team's rushing touchdowns, and only 74 of the Steelers' rushes and 217 of their rushing yards belong to other players. On top of that, Bell also has the second-most receptions on the team (80) plus 627 receiving yards and two receiving scores. All told, Bell has 381 touches through 14 games, for a league-leading 1,439 yards from scrimmage and has earned 99 first downs and 617 after-catch yards.

Should this heavy usage result in a wearing-down come January—or should it result in injury—the Steelers have little recourse.

Their second-leading rusher is rookie James Conner, whom Tomlin confirmed will have knee surgery and be placed on injured reserve, per Pro Football Talk (via the Cook and Poni show on 93.7 The Fan). Conner had 32 carries for 144 yards and zero receptions.

After him comes Fitzgerald Toussaint, last year's third-stringer who was recently elevated from the practice squad.

The Steelers have no one who can fill Bell's considerable shoes if the need arises, and combined with Brown's injury, that could spell disaster for the Steelers in the playoffs. Any slowing of Bell's roll will have a negative impact on the Steelers reaching their ultimate goal this season.

The New England Patriots

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Since Roethlisberger became the starting quarterback for the Steelers in 2004, his team has faced the Tom Brady- and Bill Belichick-led New England Patriots 12 times (including the playoffs). Only thrice have the Steelers emerged victorious, and the last time that happened was in 2011. Their past five meetings have all been Pittsburgh losses, the fifth coming just days ago at the last second.

Sunday's game is not guaranteed to be the Steelers' last meeting with the Patriots this year. Just like a season ago, it's quite possible that Pittsburgh and New England again clash in Foxborough for the AFC's spot in the Super Bowl. The Patriots have long had the Steelers' number and that could again be the case a month from now.

The Patriots have long been a thorn in the Steelers' side and yet again they could be the final obstacle along Pittsburgh's journey to another Super Bowl appearance. Another encounter between the two is very much in the realm of possibility and, should it happen, breaking the losing streak will be a tall order.