Barnes: No need to fret about Steelers

The Steelers will be fine.

It might not look it, given their 1-2 record after…

The Steelers will be fine.

It might not look it, given their 1-2 record after losing 34-31 to the Raiders on Sunday. After the defeat, consternation continues to rise among the members of Steeler Nation, who had high hopes for this year’s team.

But I think fans might be jumping the proverbial gun here, as there are still 13 games left to play in the season. And if last year’s proceedings offer any indication, the Steelers will really start to put things together after their current bye week.

Granted, the Steelers probably shouldn’t have lost to the Raiders. Pittsburgh shot itself in the foot with the two lost fumbles — one of which occurred during an offensive drive toward the end of the fourth quarter that, if completed, would’ve sealed the game. Unfortunately for the Steelers, the Raiders scored 13 unanswered points in the quarter to win their first game of the year in dramatic fashion.

But that loss is in the past. It isn’t easy for fans or players to swallow, but the team will learn from it, as the Steelers always seem to do.

Anyway, back to the point here. The Steelers will be fine.

Bear in mind, the Steelers have played without two of their best defensive players and one of the league’s best running backs for the better part of the month. Linebacker James Harrison and running back Rashard Mendenhall have yet to play, and safety Troy Polamalu has missed the past two games after starting in the season opener against Denver.

Mendenhall’s return will boost the performance of one of the league’s worst rushing units statistically — currently No. 30 in yards with only 195 yards on 74 carries thus far. Although the offensive line will not improve, Mendenhall’s power and speed will bring a new element to the Steelers’ running game that no other back on the team has: He breaks tackles and keeps plays alive with his feet and prolific spin move.

Defensively, Harrison will be a huge upgrade over Chris Carter or whomever Mike Tomlin decides to start at the outside linebacker slot opposite LaMarr Woodley. Although Harrison’s production has declined slightly over the past few years, his incredible strength often pushes opposing tackles back into the quarterback, collapsing the pocket and bringing more versatility to the defense.

The same can be said for Troy Polamalu, especially as an upgrade over Ryan Mundy. Like Harrison, Polamalu is in the declining years of his career but is still one of the league’s elite safeties.

With both Harrison and Polamalu in the lineup, the holes in the Steelers defense will disappear.

Fans should also remember that the Steelers generally take a few weeks at the beginning of each season to round into the kind of team they are expected to be. This progression is pretty natural, since teams only really find out what works and what doesn’t once they start playing games that matter, i.e., games in the regular season.

That said, how about that Ben Roethlisberger guy?

Big Ben already appears to be in full form, having thrown for 904 yards and a league-leading eight touchdown passes in just three games. He has also completed 68.3 percent of his passes, earning himself a quarterback rating of 109.2, the second-best mark in the entire league.

On the other end of the passing game, Pittsburgh’s receiving corps have also played impressively over the course of the team’s first three games.

Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery might make up the fastest, most versatile and overall best group of receivers in the NFL. Brown has already racked up 240 yards on 18 receptions, and Wallace has put up 234 yards on 17 catches of his own. Each of these four players acts as a threat to the end zone any time he touches the ball.

Not to mention Heath Miller — who broke out with 8 catches for 60 yards and two touchdowns — and Leonard Pope at the tight end spots.

So, yes, I think this team will do well when the season is all said and done. I believed at the beginning of this season the Steelers would win 11 games this year, and these first three haven’t done anything to change that belief, especially considering the team played without three of its primary contributors.

And I fully expect Pittsburgh to handle Philadelphia without too much difficulty this weekend. Quite frankly, this is an Eagles team that really should be 0-3 after the team’s atrocious showing against Cleveland and surprising close-call win over Baltimore in Week 2.

The Steelers are going to be just fine.

Write Nate at njb32@pitt.edu.