Steelers at No. 15 in preseason power rankings

Quote :

Posted by Mike Florio

I’ve been accused of both being a Steelers fan and hating the Steelers.  Neither statement is accurate.

Here’s one that is:  After spending most of my life living in and within 100 miles of Pittsburgh, I know the Steelers as well if not better than any NFL team.

And here’s one thing I know:  When they are expected to be bad, they usually find a way to be pretty good.

In 2013, that theory could get its toughest test in years.  The roster is in transition, with a mix of aging veterans who are getting close the being kicked to the curb (including one with really long hair), a nucleus of players who are in their prime and who need to lead like it, and youngsters who’ll be relied upon to step up or step off.

For now, the consensus of the six PFT scribes placed the Steelers at No. 15.  Plenty of people think they’ll end up much worse. Which tells me that there’s a good chance they’ll finish much better.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/17/preseason-power-rankings-no-15-pittsburgh-steelers/

Florio is spot on here. The Steelers play better as the underdog than as the favorite. Rank them in the middle of the pack and let them fly under the radar. Being doubted and getting no respect makes winning that much sweeter.

I'd rather see them at #20, it's closer to the bottom and less likely to be a blip on the radar. At 15, while there is room for improvement, it's not too hard to jump in to the top 10 quickly.

But I do agree that labeling them old and irrelevant may very well put the chip on the shoulder and give the aging players a reason to get #7.

I'd rather be in the bottom half any day, as long as we play Steeler football let them rank us low until we end up 12-4 or 13-3. I'm predicting 12-4 myself. We are going to see some young blood rise up this year. We may see it in camp with some starters from last year becoming backups. Foote for one. He played well last year but it's time for some serious compitition from Stevenson.

I'm not worried about the "power rankings." The Steelers will be ready come week one.