by The Steelers are balling out right now and it’s flying under the radar.
A very underwhelming 2-6 start behind Mitch Trubisky’s sloppy quarterback play, a below-average offensive line, Matt Canada’s abysmal play calling, and an injured T.J. Watt sucked the confidence out of a once-optimistic fan base and organization last season.
Then a spark was lit.
After throwing rookie first-rounder Kenny Pickett into the fire, the offense gradually got better and better, the defense went from allowing 25 PPG to 16 PPG, and there was a noticeable revival within the locker room. Long story short, Pittsburgh closed out the season 7-2 and was a Week 18 Miami Dolphins loss from punching a ticket to the playoffs.
The naysayers had the Steelers finishing 8-9 or worse last season. Fast forward eight months and those same naysayers are back at it, as Pittsburgh is projected to win 8.5 games once again. Good.
Here’s why the Steelers will be better than you expect yet again in 2023:
Constant Consistency
Sustained success is insanely difficult to achieve in this league. Whether you love them or hate them, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most well-run organizations in the NFL for decades. They are under great ownership with the Rooneys, who continuously make excellent front office decisions and always stick with them. Only three head coaches in the past 54 years, the best winning percentage in the NFL since 1970, and finishing last in the division just twice since 1969 (one of them was in HC Chuck Noll’s first season) are a few examples of the Rooney way.
Underrated Offense
This unit is poised to make a big leap this season. The Pickett experiment has gradually become hopeful, as he dazzled in the tail end of last season and is making a natural progression from his rookie campaign. Oh, and all he did in the preseason was lead touchdown drives.
Don’t forget that Pickett also became the first rookie QB to lead back-to-back game-winning drives (LV and Baltimore) in league history last season. It’s safe to say that the bar is high. Pittsburgh just might have finally solved those problems at QB.
An apparent concern last season was the offensive line, but the Steelers did a fine job addressing the trenches in the offseason. Not only did they trade up to take a monster of a tackle in Broderick Jones, but Pittsburgh added Isaac Seumalo from Philly and Nate Herbig from the Jets. It’s not a stout offensive front, but it’s going to be an improved one that is already starting to gel.
If you had to name NFL teams that are loaded with young talent with tremendous upside at the skill positions, the Pittsburgh Steelers have to be a part of that list. In the backfield, Najee Harris is a big-boy pants, borderline Top-10 running back when fully healthy and is complimented by a physical, change-of-pace type of guy in Jaylen Warren. Diontae Johnson is a fringe Top-20 receiver, George Pickens is a human highlight reel who’s a ticking time bomb for greatness, and Pat Freiermuth is a consistent tight end who’s a security blanket in the passing game. Throw in a burner like Calvin Austin, who, if he can stay healthy, can be an effective gadget player, and you have quite the arsenal of weapons.
The only question mark I have with this side of the ball is Matt Canada back as OC. There were a handful of times, especially in the first half of the season, where the head-scratching play calling and blatant predictability of this offense was painful to watch. Surprisingly, this organization gave him another shot by not cutting ties in the offseason. Perhaps it was because they were reluctant to make Pickett readjust to a new offense again or that the offense simply came alive at the end of the year. Personally, I think that final 7-2 stretch saved his job. Even though Canada should not and will not be in charge of this Pittsburgh offense in the long-term, I’ve trusted this front office my entire life and will continue to do so. This offense has all the talent to be extremely dynamic. It would just be a shame to see Canada’s questionable play calling hold this unit back from reaching its full potential.
And what better way to measure this offense than to put them up against Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and that ever-so physical San Francisco 49ers defense in Week 1. To be continued…
Top-10 Defense
There’s not much to say about a defense that is as good as they come when fully healthy. As long as Watt can avoid the injury bug, this will be a Top-10 unit in the NFL.
In the final seven weeks of the season, Pittsburgh did not allow more than 17 points in each of those games. In terms of young production, Joey Porter Jr. will be an everyday starter as early as Week 1 and edge rusher Nick Herbig looks like the next great thing. Sit them behind multiple All-Pro players for a little while and this side of the ball will only get better.
Favorable Schedule
Another big reason I’m high on this team is the schedule. While this season will obviously be no walk in the park, the Steelers go from having the 2nd toughest schedule in the NFL in 2022 to the 12th easiest in 2023.
For starters, most of Pittsburgh’s hardest non-divisional games will be at home (vs. SF, vs. Jax, vs. GB, vs. NE). Things will heat up when the ‘Lers have a three-week stretch that pits them against Cincinnati, at Seattle, and at Baltimore to close out the regular season, which could very well determine the AFC North title.
Knowing the competitive nature of the North, that final stretch could be the difference between finishing first in the division and finishing third. In order to win it and secure a top-four playoff seed, I’d reckon that the Steelers will need to sweep Cleveland and at least split with Baltimore and/or Cincinnati; with a combined 4-2 record against all three rivals being the sweet spot.
Mike Tomlin is a Hall of Famer
You know the stat: 16 seasons leading the Steelers without a losing record. No other coach has ever accomplished that feat in NFL history. While you can make a fair case that he inherited a stacked roster from Bill Cowher and won a title with it in ’08, you still have to be incredibly consistent to sustain a .500 record or better in this league. A man who oozes charisma and smarts, Tomlin is a head coach who would be hired in literally 10 seconds if released today. This non-losing season streak isn’t going anywhere.
My final verdict is this: the Steelers will be a playoff team and right in the thick of the AFC North title hunt in 2023.
Last season was a measuring stick year to see how this young team would pan out with a raw rookie quarterback, a below-average offensive line, and a mostly absent Watt. Flip the page and this season is a “prove it” year.
The pleasant preseason performances were encouraging, and this team feels like a sleeping giant ready to make big strides behind a dynamite head coach, a stellar defense, and a young offense riddled with playmakers. The pieces are all there. Now it’s a matter of exceeding expectations.