2017 NFL Power Rankings: Los Angeles Rams Enter Offseason Near Bottom

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Before the regular season officially got underway back in September, the offense of the Pittsburgh Steelers was expected to break numerous records, and rightfully so when looking at the weapons Ben Roethlisberger was fortunate enough to work with. It’s one thing to have an explosive playmaker like Antonio Brown as a top target in the passing game, but having Le’Veon Bell in the backfield made life much easier for Big Ben.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, the team caught a tough break in the AFC Championship game when Bell was forced to leave with an injury. During his short career, Bell has proven to be a workhorse, and it was on display over the first two playoff games against the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.

Having Bell against the Patriots would have made a huge difference for the Steelers on offense, but unfortunately it was one of those tough breaks they just couldn’t do anything about. Assuming all goes well in the offseason with rewarding Bell with a new deal along with Roethlisberger avoiding retirement for at least one more season, Pittsburgh should be in solid shape to make another Super Bowl run.

Of course, the Steelers will have to deal with the Patriots standing in their way.