Gerry Dulac: Steelers winning in a dominant fashion that has been rare lately

PITTSBURGH — Maybe it's just the Halloween season and the Steelers are suddenly masquerading as one of the dominant teams in the AFC.

Or maybe they have found something that has allowed them to uncharacteristically overwhelm their past two opponents to at least remain tied for the top of the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens.

"This is my fourth year of us starting off, and it's the best we've started off," running back Najee Harris said.

Indeed, the Steelers (5-2) are off to their best start since their 11-0 run to start the 2020 season, and they are doing it in somewhat impressive fashion.

They finished off their 37-15 victory against the New York Jets on Sunday night by scoring the final 31 points — the first time they have scored that many unanswered points in eight years.

They are second in the AFC and fifth in the NFL in point differential (plus-60) and have scored 161 points after seven games, their most since the 2020 season.

For a team that is habitually involved in one-possession games, the Steelers have outscored the opponent 69-28 the past two games. That 41-point differential is the largest for back-to-back games since the 2016 season, when they beat the Kansas City Chiefs (43-14) and Jets (31-13) in successive weeks.

They have eight takeaways and just one turnover in the past three games, along with a blocked kick in each of the past three games.

What's going on here?

"This is the most efficient [the offense has been], I think, in my years being here," said Harris, who has had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for only the second time in his career. "Usually we turn it around, I guess we'll say later in the season, but to have it happen so early and to have this momentum going, I think that's just a sign of what's to come in the future."

It would be unfair to say this is merely a result of Russell Wilson making his long-awaited debut at quarterback, even though the offense was more diverse against the Jets. Wilson targeted six different receivers at least three times, had five completions of at least 21 yards and completed 14 of his final 21 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns after a rusty start.

After all, Justin Fields helped account for the 32 points in last week's victory in Las Vegas by rushing for 59 yards and two touchdowns.

But it would be more than fair to say it is testament to what offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been able to do with two different quarterbacks — and two different styles — in a short period of time.

"I thought Arthur Smith did a great job letting me cut it loose and guys getting open and guys moving around and just making tremendous plays," Wilson said after the offense accounted for a season-high 409 yards. "I thought he called a great game. He helped me get into a groove. He said it may take a second. You know, I never believed that, but it did. And then we caught a groove."

The Steelers are starting to climb in the statistical rankings. They are sixth in rushing (134.1 yards per game) 14th in total offense (314.1 ypg) and 14th in points scored (161).

Couple that with a defense that has allowed 101 points, second-fewest in the league, and the fourth-fewest yards among teams who have played seven games (298 ypg), and the Steelers are resembling a playoff-bound team. At least for now.

"There's still more out there, too," Wilson said. "We'll make sure that we get better as we go."