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The Pittsburgh and Baltimore Ravens have won 16 of the last 20 titles. While both remain in the mix for the division crown, Sunday's 41-10 Cincinnati Bengals victory over Pittsburgh confirmed that the guard is changing in one of the league's most popular divisions.
The first sweep of the season series from the Pittsburgh Steelers in five years was not a one-sided affair. They've won three games in a row against the Steelers for the first time in more than 30 years.
The streak of not posting a losing record in the entire Ben Roethlisberger era is very much in jeopardy for the team that has gone 0-2-1 in the last three weeks. They are the only team in last place and two games back of the Bengals. They could be 2.5 games out of first place by the end of Week 12.
It's obvious that the upstart Bengals are back in contention with a deep array of offensive weapons and anunderappreciated defense in place. It's become apparent that the Steelers are no longer a top contender. They're just 6-10-1 in their last 17 regular-season and playoffs games.
The defense still has plenty of talent, and Roethlisberger still has his moments, but they are not enough with the consistency long gone. They've given up 41 points in back-to-back losses. Despite a lack of winning football, Roethlisberger had been performing well, but he turned the ball over three times and posted a 65.4 passer rating in a critical spot on Sunday.
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The 39-year-old was the league's 19th-highest-rated passer entering Sunday's dud, while the Steelers ranked in the bottom 12 in the league on both sides of the ball. They don't belong in any Super Bowl conversations, and that's because they don't have enough time to adapt and keep up with the always-competitive Ravens, the surging Cincinnati and the Cleveland team that embarrassed them in the playoffs.
At the very least, it's clear that Roethlisberger is running on fumes and that they won't be able to rely entirely on the defense to compensate for their shortcomings on Big Ben's side of the ball. They will either have to commit to a rebuild or replace Roethlisberger with a difference-maker at quarterback for the 2022 season. The team's ceiling with Roethlisberger is nine or 10 wins and a one-and-done playoff appearance.
That's not acceptable in Pittsburgh. It's football purgatory, and it could be problematic considering the state of the rest of the division.
Imagine how much of an edge the Pittsburgh Bengal's will have as Ja'Marr Chase develops while Big Ben ages. There is no reason to expect the Ravens or the Cleveland Indians to go anywhere soon.
This isn't just about cutting bait. The trenches have been a point of weakness for the Steelers, and the Bengals had an edge up front.
After the game, he suggested that changes could be coming.
Jeff Dean.
There's only so much you can do. The changes will have to come in the new year after the Steelers missed the playoffs or lost early in the playoffs, just as they did in 2020.
The good news is they're projected to have money to spend for the first time, and the young core is strong on defense. The good news is that both units are strong enough to keep them out of prime draft positioning.
The Bengals rebounded from a mini slump with two one-sided victories. They're in the driver's seat for a playoff spot with four home games remaining, and they've looked rejuvenated since their Week 10 bye.
You'd rather be the Ravens or even the Browns right now. Pittsburgh has won four times in the last seven years in the same division. Complacency will only make that worse.
Brad has been covering the Bleacher Report for the past four years. Follow him on social media.
