The Pittsburgh Steelers are in perfect position to get back into the win column this week with a matchup against the lackluster Oakland Raiders. However, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not taking an easy approach.

Pittsburgh is desperate to maintain their lead atop the AFC North. According to Bryan DeArdo of 247 Sports, Roethlisberger is adamant about not overlooking the Raiders:

“No,” Roethlisberger responded. “You saw what they did last week against one of the best teams in football and fought them all the way to the end. We can’t care about records.”

There is certainly plenty of truth to Roethlisberger's comments. There is no question that the Raiders have been one of the worst teams in the 2018 NFL season.

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However, they still nearly managed to pull off an upset over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13. It is safe to assume that Kansas City had taken Oakland for granted and it nearly cost them after they were barely able to squeak out a 40-33 victory.

Roethlisberger has taken it upon himself to be a more vocal leader over the last several weeks. The veteran has had no issue with calling out the team's shortcomings this year. It has ultimately helped them pick up their play at times rather than unraveling like in year's past.

Although they do not garner as much hype as they once did, the Steelers are still one of the most high-powered groups in the entire league. However, they will need to potentially win out if they hope to stave off the Baltimore Ravens for AFC North supremacy.