Pittsburgh Steelers Can’t Ignore Mike Williams Anymore

Pittsburgh Steelers narrowly escaped 18-16 victory over Baltimore Ravens They improved their record to 8-2 on the year as of Sunday afternoon, while also maintaining pole position in the AFC North.

The Steelers’ defense was the real hero of the day; The Ravens’ offense led the league in yards and points per game, totaling 329 points in the first category and 16 points in the second category.

Pittsburgh’s offense had its moments, but the team’s overall performance was underwhelming all season, especially against a Baltimore defense that had struggled mightily against the pass.

Russell Wilson was 23-for-36 for 205 yards, zero touchdowns and an interception in the end zone. He was far from brilliant, but the team’s aerial woes don’t fall entirely on his shoulders.

Beyond George Pickens, who led the Steelers with eight catches and 89 yards, the team’s wide receivers were targeted three times while combining for just two receptions and three yards.

The team’s need for additional help at the position was well established during the offseason, but their failure to bring in reinforcements before the start of the regular season upset fans.

Pittsburgh was able to land high-level targets such as: Brandon Aiyuk And Davante Adamsbut seemed to find a workaround on this Acquiring Mike Williams from New York Jets at the trade deadline.

Williams, an eight-year veteran, attracted interest from the Steelers as a free agent before signing a $10 million deal with the Jets for the 2024 season. The 30-year-old never really found his footing in New York, racking up 12 receptions for 166 yards in nine contests, but Pittsburgh felt comfortable enough with his talent to cough up a fifth-rounder in 2025.

The prevailing hope as a rental player was for Williams to come in for the remainder of the year and establish himself as a strong No. 2 receiver who could stretch the field alongside Pickens.

After all, he starred alongside Keenan Allen in parts of seven seasons as members of the Los Angeles Chargers. While there’s no direct correlation between what he experienced there and the Steelers’ situation, it’s similar enough to the point where they think he has untapped potential with the Jets.

Williams played sparingly in Pittsburgh’s Week 10 matchup with the Washington Commanders, but still announced his arrival with a bang, scoring a game-winning 32-yard field goal shortly before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.

His snap count jumped from nine against Washington to 25 against the Ravens, but he had nothing to show for it. It’s hard to complain about the Steelers coming away with a gutsy win against arguably their biggest rival, but Williams’ lack of looks can’t become a trend.

At this point, he’s the most reliable option at receiver behind Pickens. Williams has a long history of success, throwing for 5,004 yards and 32 scores in his career, and letting him become an afterthought is inexcusable.

Of course, there is an element of unfamiliarity that hinders his participation at the moment. But the bottom line is that the Steelers need to use Williams to reach his ceiling this year.

They have a Super Bowl-caliber roster and coaching staff, but those expectations won’t come true if Pickens is the only real threat in the passing game. Williams will need to step up, but Pittsburgh also needs to ensure he is the focal point of the offense.

Be sure to bookmark Steelers On SI to get all your daily Pittsburgh Steelers news, interviews, analysis, and more!