Coming into this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers had sky high expectations, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. To this point, even though they have endured an absurd amount of injuries, they still have one of the league's top offenses. Injuries happen to every team, but they definitely took a huge toll on the Steelers. This brings on the question; what if the Steelers didn't have such bad luck?
Le'Veon Bell
Without a doubt, the most impactful injury to the Steelers' season was endured by last year's team MVP, Le'Veon Bell. In the five games that Bell was healthy, he was making a huge impact, as he rushed for 411 yards on 103 carries. Also in those games, (which exclude the game against the Cincinnati Bengals that Bell was injured in), he caught 22 passes for 125 yards. DeAngelo Williams has been a great backup, arguably a Pro Bowl snub, but he isn't Le'Veon Bell, to be frank. Having Bell in the lineup would've improved the rushing and passing aspects of the offense, and it arguably would've been the best offense in the league.
Ben Roethlisberger
If Bell's injury wasn't the most detrimental to the team, Big Ben's definitely was. Roethlisberger had to miss four games due to a sprained MCL and bone bruise. His absence was definitely noticed, as the Mike Vick project was a disaster. Landry Jones performed better than Vick, but neither was better than 75% healthy Big Ben could have been. Roethlisberger's injury caused a loss to the Ravens and Chiefs, games that could have easily been won with Big Ben in the lineup. Still, he has performed well enough in his time healthy to make the Pro Bowl, so it's hard to imagine the success he and Antonio Brown could have had, and the records they could have broke.
Maurkice Pouncey
Here's an injury that has definitely been over-looked, and it's confusing as to why. This is Pouncey's sixth season, but he's only played four (he missed all of this season as well as 2013). In the four seasons that Pouncey has played in, he is a four time Pro-Bowler, and a four time All-Pro. His backup, Cody Wallace, tried his best, but just couldn't replace Pouncey. He was the captain of an improving offensive line, and he might be the best center in the NFL. When he went down in the preseason, it was an injury that scared fans, because they understood just how valuable Pouncey is to the team.
Kelvin Beachum
Last season, Kelvin Beachum was undoubtedly a top-five left tackle. This season, it was expected that he would improve, as he was in a contract year. When Beachum went down with a torn ACL in week six, it was heartbreaking for Steelers' fans. His counterpart, Marcus Gilbert, has greatly improved as a right tackle this year, so with Beachum anchoring down the left side and Pouncey healthy, this offensive line could've been one of the best units in the league. Linemen are often overlooked, but if the Steelers' were healthy, the offense could've been on another level.
What if Jason Worlids Didn't Retire?
Wow, something that doesn't relate to injuries. This definitely is an interesting question. In the offseason, Worlids retirement seemed like it would completely derail an already below-average pass rush. However, that wasn't the case, as the pass rush has actually improved significantly since last year. The key addition was Bud Dupree, the team's first round draft pick who was probably signed to replace Worlids. Still, it Worlids would've stayed with the team and they decided to draft Dupree anyway, this pass rush would have been ranked up there with the top units in the league.
What if Brandon Boykin Played More?
When the Steelers traded for Brandon Boykin in the offseason, it was awesome. The secondary struggled last year and looked like it was on pace to be even worse this year. Then, something crazy happened, and Boykin hardly saw the field. And, unsurprisingly, the secondary was arguably the worst in the league. Boykin didn't see significant playing time until week fourteen, because Russell Wilson absolutely torched the team the week before. In that week fourteen game, Boykin intercepted a pass in the first quarter. He has been seeing significant playing time ever since, and he might be the best corner on the team. If Boykin was used more often early in the year, the team would have definitely benefited, as the always-injured offense wouldn't have had to carry the defense all the time.
What if Chris Boswell Was Signed Right Away?
Fan favorite (and very good) kicker Shaun Suisham tore his ACL in the Hall of Fame Game. It was a terrible injury, as Suisham has been almost automatic the past few years. The team signed Garrett Hartley, who also got injured in the preseason. Then, they had to trade a late round draft pick for Josh Scobee, a move that bit the team big time. Scobee only made six of his ten attempts, and he missed an extra point. He was released after four games. Chris Boswell was signed next, and he has absolutely paid off. The "Wizard of Boz" has made 26 of his 28 field goals, while only missing one extra point in 23 attempts (compared to Scobee's seven attempts). The worst part about this situation was the wasted draft pick. Recently, the Steelers have had luck with late round draft picks (Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant). Because of this, this is a difficult- almost impossible- question to answer.
Through all of these dark spots, no one would expect the Steelers to be in the situation they are in; likely to enter the playoffs as arguably the hottest team in the league. Like in 2005, this Steelers team just might be that wild card team that nobody wants to play. If they didn't have so many injuries and so much bad luck, that wouldn't be the case. Instead, the Steelers would probably have already clinched a playoff berth as the division winner, and they could have been playing for home field advantage in the last two weeks of the season. No matter how it ends, through all of the hardships, this season is absolutely a successful one for the Pittsburgh Steelers.