Top 10 favorites for Super Bowl 53

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

Based strictly on talent, and having one of the best head coaches in the league, the Steelers will be a perpetual Super Bowl contender until further notice. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger seems to be committed to playing three more seasons now, and assuming Le’Veon Bell is back one of the best running backs in the league (if not the best) will remain in place. And of course wide receiver Antonio Brown, the head of the class at his position, will still be around too.

Distractions and drama seem to follow the Steelers throughout this past season, starting with Bell’s prolonged holdout after having the franchise tag placed on him. Tomlin perpetuated the Patriots as the target going way back into the 2017 regular season, while setting other teams they had to beat aside before a possible AFC  Championship Game rematch. On-field confusion and bad situational management from the sideline seemed to come to a head at crucial moments in important games, with Roethlisberger apparently given surprisingly little leeway to make decisions on his own in those situations.

The Steelers were my preseason pick to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LII. They’ll definitely be in the conversation again heading into next season, as a pick to go to and maybe win Super Bowl LIII, with Bell’s status as he gets set to hit free agency an offseason story to watch.