The 2016 NFL season is finally underway and the Pittsburgh Steelers look to be an early candidate as a Super Bowl contender. We are currently three weeks into the season, and besides taking a tough loss to Philadelphia in week three, the Steelers have looked substantially good. With a high powered offense and an ever-improving defense, Pittsburgh is in for a great season.

There should be no question that the Steeler offense is the most high powered and star studded offense in the league. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is once again at the helm and any offense with him in charge should be successful. He is an elite, top level quarterback and has been for years. As for the supporting pieces that Ben has, they are absolutely nothing to scoff at. They are led by all-pro wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown has been regarded as the league’s best receiver and it has shown with his league leading receptions and his receiving yards being near the top. Other aerial threats include Markus Wheaton, Sammie Coates, and the man that will be taking over for Heath Miller, Jesse James.

Outside of the passing game, the running game will also be at an elite level. Running back Le’Veon Bell has been suspended for the first three weeks and will be returning this week. Bell is a talented, unique running back that has the potential to be the league’s best back if he can stay healthy and stay out of trouble off the field. During Bell’s suspension, veteran DeAngelo Williams has carried the load in the backfield and he has done a stellar job in doing so. With these two both active and playing, they could easily be the best running back duo in the league.

The case for the defense isn’t as easy, however. The front seven is extremely athletic, but they are very raw and inexperienced outside of veteran linebackers James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons. Defensive end Cameron Heyward and linebacker Ryan Shazier will easily be the most explosive players on the defense and they both could be looking at all-pro years. The front seven is not the concern in the defense though. The main concern is the secondary that has needed to be rebuilt for a few years now. They are anchored by cornerback William Gay, who has been with the team for years, and the hard-hitting safety Mike Mitchell. Ross Cockrell, Robert Golden, and first round draft pick Artie Burns will also look to make contributions this year. They need to play conservative, smart football to have a successful season this year.

The Steelers are looking for a great season and if everything goes as planned, they should easily win the division and clinch a playoff berth. After that, they will look to win the conference and finally the Super Bowl. Expectations are high, so hopefully they will be able to exceed them.