Pittsburgh Steelers fans rejoice! The Steelers defeated the Ravens in classic AFC North rivalry fashion, 18-16, in Week 11, improving to 8-2 on the season. Fans of the Steel City can sleep comfortably knowing that the Black and Gold are pulling away in the AFC North divisional title race. While there are plenty of tough matchups ahead for the Pittsburgh Steelers, here are five reasons to be optimistic after the team's Week 11 victory.

Chris Boswell proved he is the best kicker in the NFL:

Boswell carried the Steelers' hopes and dreams to a Week 11 victory on Sunday, scoring all 18 points off his field goals, including an incredible 57-yarder.

Rookie Payton Wilson broke out in a big way:

Wilson's game-changing interception saw the rookie rip the ball away from Justice Hill, keeping his team's momentum going strong. He also allowed only two catches for three yards in the contest.

Steelers' defense held the number one scoring offense to 16 points:

While many concerns were voiced about the Steelers facing the number one overall offense in yards and scoring, the Pittsburgh defense shut down the Ravens' Week 11 offensive aspirations in a big way.

The Justin Fields rushing-package looked outstanding:

While used sparingly, the impressive Fields rushing package dealt the Ravens the final blow in Week 11. Opposing defenses will have a tough time stopping both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

Pittsburgh entered the top three in average time of possession:

With an impressive time of possession of 36:22 in Week 11, Pittsburgh has become one of the best teams in the NFL at controlling the pace of the game, with an average per game of 32:37.

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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 5 reasons for optimism after Steelers' Week 11 win over the Ravens