And last but not least in our AFC North previews, we now head to western Pennsylvania with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The window is closing on the Steelers as the Ben Roethlisberger era could possibly be in its final season, but it’s not completely shut just yet. He’s back for his 18th season, and the Steelers did everything possible to get him the best team around him to compete in a stacked AFC North. It required cap wizardry week after week from GM Kevin Colbert, including a huge restructuring of Big Ben’s contract to prevent the number of departures becoming even larger than it would have been had the contract not been restructured.
When you factor what is left, who has joined the team throughout the Draft, and Mike Tomlin’s coaching, the reigning AFC North champions should still be viewed as playoff contenders.
After all, the standard is still the standard.
Despite having the toughest schedule in the NFL, Tomlin is still keeping his team set on one goal and one goal only: Lombardi Trophy no. 7. He and Colbert are hoping that the current roster does enough to post another winning season and add to Tomlin’s consecutive seasons of never having a losing record.
Although Big Ben is 39, he showed flashes of 2008 vintage in the Steelers’ preseason game against the Lions. He can still produce, and the Steelers focused on offense to suit the aging QB with shorter, quicker throws, as he averaged the fewest yards per attempt in his career last season, at 6.3.
New OC Matt Canada emphasized more pre-snap motion and jet sweeps in his first season as QBs coach. He replaces Randy Fitchner and will continue to adapt an offense that got predictable by the end of the 2020 season.
Every season, the Steelers went after a wide receiver early in the Draft, albeit not in the first round, but it has paid off by providing Ben with four dangerous pass catchers who are more than capable of leading the team in receiving yards any given week.
JuJu Smith-Schuster looked like he was going to go elsewhere, but in a surprise move, decided to stay on a one-year deal.
Chase Claypool, also known as “Mapletron” by fans, is coming off a rookie season where it included a four-touchdown performance against the Eagles. Standing 6’ 4”, 238 lbs., he gets defenses sweating because he can line up all over the field, even getting handoffs from motion looks.
Diontae Johnson emerged as Ben’s most frequent target, with 144 targets last season, and James Washington is a solid deep threat.
This is a deep wide receiver group that can expose a secondary that isn’t confident in at least four of their corners.
That’s not to mention that Pat Freiermuth has Steelers fans comparing his game to Heath Miller’s, and could possibly take Eric Ebron’s starting spot midway through the season should Ebron not have his drops fixed.
Their running game was stuck in mud in the last two seasons, ranking in the bottom five in 2019 and was dead last in 2020. Although there is blame for a number of different areas on offense, the Steelers took a big step to injecting life in the ground game by taking Najee Harris in the first round.
He enters the team as the immediate top option for them out of the backfield. He can handle a big workload while dealing out punishment by way of the rushing game and the passing game. He had 70 catches for 729 yards and 11 TDs in the last two seasons at Alabama. He and the Steelers’ other running backs, which include Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, and Kalen Ballage, can provide Ben with solid checkdown options.
Their biggest question mark on offense is the O-line. Despite having two Pro Bowlers last season, they weren’t up to standards, and after all the salary cap gymnastics, they enter the 2021 season as one of the least experienced in the league.
Second-year guard Kevin Dotson has Pro Bowl potential, as showcased by the games he filled in when David DeCastro and Matt Feiler were injured, allowing zero sacks. DeCastro was let go after nine seasons and signed Trai Turner, who is coming off an injury-riddled 2020, to replace him at right guard.
Chukwuma Okorafor, who was the full-time starter last season at right tackle, will shift to left tackle after the departure of Alejandro Villanueva, although Dan Moore Jr. has performed better than Okorafor in the preseason, so he isn’t ruled out of the question. Zach Banner, a fan favorite who has two career starts and is coming off a serious injury, is the most likely to fill in the right tackle spot.
Kendrick Green is the first choice at center to replace the retired Maurkice Pouncey. This is a complete change from the group that guarded Ben in his prime.
The D-line, the heart and soul of the Steelers defense, survived the offseason intact. Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt are among the best at what they do, and they are not showing signs of slowing down. Tyson Alualu almost left for the Jaguars in the offseason but had a change of heart, ensuring the Steelers would return all their D-linemen from last season. The concern here is depth, simply because a lot of it is untested because of how good Heyward and Tuitt have been.
TJ Watt has been an All-Pro selection in the last two seasons, including a 2020 season that had him lead the league in sacks (15) and tackles for loss (23). That previous season, he led the league in forced fumbles (8) and has hit opposing QBs in the past two seasons a combined 77 times. He is set for a breakout season where he could potentially win Defensive Player of the Year.
Unfortunately for him, he lost the counterpart he had in his first four seasons: The Steelers couldn’t keep Bud Dupree, who signed a $82.5M deal with the Titans. Alex Highsmith, who had two sacks as a rookie, will be asked to grow quickly to fill a spot that accounted for 19.5 sacks in the last two seasons. Melvin Ingram was brought in on a one-year deal before the start of training camp. He didn’t have a sack in 7 games last season but had a total of 43 in the previous five seasons combined.
Devin Bush’s season-ending injury five games into the 2020 season opened the door for Robert Spillane to emerge as yet another undrafted success story, with 56 tackles in 10 games, a Week 7 heavy hit on Derrick Henry on 3rd & Goal, and a Week 8 pick 6 on Lamar Jackson. Bush is fully recovered in time to get back to doing what he does beck. The Steelers also traded for former Browns and Jaguars LB Joe Schobert to have him be Bush’s new running mate after Vince Williams retired this offseason. Expect Spillane and Buddy Johnson to be used on a rotational basis.
The Steelers’ cap crisis hit the secondary the hardest, as Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton were not retained. That left Joe Haden, entering his 12th season, as one of the few players on the secondary from 2020 to remain with the team. He will be playing along with Cam Sutton, whose defensive snaps jumped from 265 to 548 last season, and a mix of young and unproven players trying to fill in the void left by the departures of Nelson and Hilton. Those players include James Pierre, who can play on the outside and the inside, Tre Norwood, who can play both corner and safety, and Justin Layne, who is also poised for a bigger role.
The situation at safety is a lot more clear, with All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds locked in as every-snap players for their third season together. Fitzpatrick is a game-changer in the back of the Steelers defense: He picked off nine passes over the past two seasons and already has four touchdowns after just three seasons in the league. Even when quarterbacks were throwing to him less and less, he is still getting better.
This Steelers team is a vastly different team from the one that lost five of their last six games in 2020. They have an interesting mix of talented veterans and promising, young rookies. While Roethlisberger is nearing the end of his career, and with major questions on the O-line, the Steelers might not have the brightest long-term future, but they are still a team that should be in the mix for playoffs. While they aren’t going to defend the division crown, the mix of a savvy quarterback, explosive offensive playmakers, and game-changers on the defense will make them a tough team to take down.
Schedule
Week 1: @ Buffalo Bills
Sunday, September 12, 1:00 PM on CBS
For the 7th straight season, the Steelers will start the season on the road. Last season, the Steelers took an early lead before the Bills defense took over in a 26-15 win for them. The Bills are the obvious favorites here, but there’s something about the Steelers’ new offensive game plan could help catch the Bills off guard. The Steelers’ defense will also continue to prove that they are still a top 3 unit in the league despite the loss of Bud Dupree in the offseason. It’s not enough however, as the Bills pull off a close victory in what is a competitive match.
Week 1 score: Bills 24, Steelers 20
Week 2: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Sunday, September 19, 1:00 PM on CBS
For the first time since the 2019 season, the Steelers will host a sold-out crowd at Heinz Field. The Raiders tore down the O-line last season, and that’s music to this defense’s ears, especially for TJ Watt. This is set to be a rough game for Derek Carr, with the Steelers D-line generating constant pressure and living in the backfield. And while they had issues covering tight ends in the past, they will be dialed in on Darren Waller, who caught 197 passes in the last two seasons, which means that Devin Bush’s return is big for this game. Najee Harris should also have a huge game against a Raiders defense that finished 24th in the league in rushing in 2020. The score might be close, but the only reason why it’s so is because of garbage time.
Week 2 score: Steelers 34, Raiders 23
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, September 26, 1:00 PM on CBS
The Bengals didn’t have a great offseason, but they are still expected to take a step forward this season with Joe Burrow healthy and the offense being a more consistent group. They made some improvements that include the signing of Trey Hendrickson and drafting Ja’Marr Chase and Jackson Carman. Their biggest question is whether or not Burrow can stay healthy for an entire season. Assuming he can, he can get the Bengals closer towards respectability in his second season. However, the Steelers are the more experienced team and have an ample amount of disruptors on the front seven to make things difficult for Burrow and co. With that being said, I don’t see Burrow’s first win against the Steelers here.
Week 3 score: Steelers 30, Bengals 24
Week 4: @ Green Bay Packers
Sunday, October 3, 4:25 PM on CBS
Given how hard the Steelers’ schedule is, they could’ve used a break if Aaron Rodgers was traded from the Packers, but that won’t be the case. Now we’re getting a classic battle between two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Both QBs split the first two meetings that included the Packers’ 31-25 win over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Big Ben should have more success against the Packers’ suspect pass defense, but the Steelers may have a hard time containing the Packers’ pass attack, led by Davante Adams.
Week 4 score: Packers 28, Steelers 23
Week 5: vs. Denver Broncos
Sunday, October 10, 1:00 PM on FOX
Despite Drew Lock suffering an injury in the 1st quarter, the Steelers needed a late defensive stand to run away with a 26-21 win over the Jeff Driskel-led Broncos in Week 2 of 2020. The Steelers specifically had issues containing the Broncos’ receivers that included wide receivers Jerry Jeudy (4 receptions, 62 yds) and Courtland Sutton (3 receptions, 66 yards) and tight end Noah Fant (4 receptions, 57 yards, one touchdown). If the Broncos have a top 10 quarterback, they would be a Super Bowl contender. With either one of Lock or Bridgewater under center, finishing above .500 would be an unexpected accomplishment for them. Don’t count out their defense, though. Von Miller is coming back from a season-ending injury and is looking to cause havoc with Bradley Chubb on the edge. They also boast one of the best, if not the best, secondary groups in the league. Expect this game to be a low-scoring affair, but this time around, the Steelers will keep their foot on the gas pedal, as Watt and the rest of the Steelers defense feast on a Broncos offense that was 28th in the league in scoring last season.
Week 5 score: Steelers 24, Broncos 16
Week 6: vs. Seattle Seahawks (SNF)
Sunday, October 17, 8:20 PM on NBC
On paper, Russell Wilson with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the Steelers’ corners is a recipe for a fireworks show. A pass rush can help matters towards the Steelers’ favor, but Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks at making something out of nothing. However, the Steelers have been good under Tomlin in primetime games, especially at home. They also have been historically good in games heading towards the bye week. The Steelers’ defense should apply constant pressure on Wilson, who was sacked 47 times last season. The offense should take advantage of a Seahawks defense that ranked 31st in the NFL in 2020. The difference between winning and losing this game comes down to the Steelers containing Wilson, Metcalf, and Lockett. However, another factor for this game is location, which the Steelers can get energized from the loud, sold-out crowd at Heinz Field, leading to an upset win.
Week 6 score: Steelers 34, Seahawks 27
Week 7: BYE WEEK
Week 8: @ Cleveland Browns
Sunday, October 31, 1:00 PM on CBS
The Browns have one of the best rosters in the league, and they added to their roster with the signings of Troy Hill and John Johnson III, and with the drafting of Greg Newsome II. They are also welcoming back Odell Beckham Jr. to the team. Long gone are the days where the Steelers can check off both games against the Browns as wins. After years of being the Steelers’ little brother, the Browns have finally become a force to be reckoned with. Matter of fact, you can even say that the two teams will split the season series, with the home team winning each game.
Week 8 score: Browns 27, Steelers 24
Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears (MNF)
Monday, November 8, 8:15 PM on ESPN
The Steelers are all too familiar with Andy Dalton, who spent nine seasons as the Bengals’ starting QB. There’s also a solid chance that the Bears could start Justin Fields by this point, who the Steelers are not familiar with at all. On paper, this should be a recipe for a victory for the Steelers, but if Fields is starting, this game screams “trap game.” Fields is a dual threat quarterback who has the potential to break the long-running line of Ohio State quarterback busts. Assume that Fields is starting in this game. While it does indeed turn out to be a trap game, the Steelers do enough to escape with an ugly victory.
Week 9 score: Steelers 23, Bears 20
Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions
Sunday, November 14, 1:00 PM on FOX
The Lions might be a good team in a few years, but this season is one their fans don’t want to see. While generating pressure won’t be easy against the Lions’ O-line, the Lions don’t have any real threats at wide receiver. Plus, their defense is one of the worst in the league. As long as the Steelers take care of the ball, they shouldn’t have a lot of issues against them. One matchup to watch is rookie right tackle Penei Sewell against sophomore edge rusher Alex Highsmith. Highsmith and his teammates will also look to wipe out D’Andre Swift from being a threat while making the offense one-dimensional, generating opportunities for Big Ben to take advantage of the 32nd-ranked defense.
Week 10 score: Steelers 37, Lions 13
Week 11: @ Los Angeles Chargers (SNF)
Sunday, November 21, 8:20 PM on NBC
The Steelers will face Justin Herbert for the first time, the reigning Rookie of the Year who led the Chargers to four straight wins to close out the 2020 season. The Chargers now have a revamped O-line, so Herbert should take another step forward this season. They also have one of the top receiving duos in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. The Steelers, after losing Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton, will have to have their young guys step up here, as they might struggle against teams with top receiving duos. They’ll also have to contain Austin Ekeler, one of the league’s most versatile running backs. They also need to keep an eye out on the defensive unit as a whole, as Brandon Staley knows how to get the best from his defenses. This isn’t like the Seahawks game, where the Steelers were at home, but since the Chargers have struggled to get fans, SoFi Stadium in this Chargers home game could essentially turn into Pittsburgh West. Ben should do everything to keep his team in the game and Najee Harris can do damage here. However, this game is going to come down to who has the ball last, and, in clutch situations, Chris Boswell doesn’t miss. I’m going with the upset here.
Week 11 score: Steelers 27, Chargers 24
Week 12: @ Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, November 28, 1:00 PM on CBS
The Steelers are a weird team to decipher. They’ll play up to vastly superior opponents, but at the same time, they will play down to inferior competition. The last time the two faced each other in Cincinnati, the Steelers lost to a Bengals squad that had Ryan Finley at QB. Now that Joe Burrow is healthy, expect them to take the next step. Although TJ Watt loves to feast on the Bengals’ O-line, expect the Bengals’ secondary to make some game-changing plays to keep them in this game, and possibly an interception. Like last time, the Bengals pull off an upset.
Week 12 score: Bengals 26, Steelers 23
Week 13: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, December 5, 4:25 PM on CBS
While it is just a small sample size, Lamar Jackson has yet to deliver a big game against the Steelers’ defense. The Ravens gave him more weapons for future matchups against them which includes Sammy Watkins and Rashod Bateman. They still possess the league’s top rushing attack, and even without JK Dobbins, they still have Gus Edwards, but are also exploring the possibility of adding a veteran running back, such as Todd Gurley or former Steeler Le’Veon Bell. Although the offense is far more explosive than last season and the Steelers’ secondary is weaker on paper, expect the Steelers’ front seven to set the tone of this game. Coming off an upset loss to the Bengals, the Steelers come out hungry and firing on all cylinders in yet another tight game between the two AFC North rivals.
Week 13 score: Steelers 27, Ravens 23
Week 14: @ Minnesota Vikings (TNF)
Thursday, December 9, 8:20 PM on FOX
The Vikings’ defense should be a better unit than how they were last season. It’s good news for them, but there are still question marks for a defense that finished 29th in the league last season. The key matchup here is the Steelers’ defense against the Vikings’ offensive trio of Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen. If they can contain them, this is a recipe for a win. Plus, the Vikings have too many question marks for them to safely get a win over the Steelers here.
Week 14 score: Steelers 17, Vikings 13
Week 15: vs. Tennessee Titans
Sunday, December 19, 1:00 PM on CBS
The Steelers got out to a 27-7 lead in Nashville in Week 7 of the 2020 season before hanging on to win 27-24. Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster had a combined 18 receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns. The Steelers need more from their running game, however, as the lack of it last year was a factor on why they scored just three points in the second half of the game. Defensively, the focus will continue to be containing two-time league rushing champion Derrick Henry, who was held to 75 yards in that game. Also, expect the Titans’ defense to be better with Bud Dupree going to the other side now. The Titans are considered as a legitimate AFC contender, but what happens when a red-hot offense meets a brick wall of a defense? Usually, it ends with the defense shutting down the offense, but don’t expect that to be the case as this game gets back and forth, with the Titans eventually handing the Steelers their first home loss of the season.
Week 15 score: Titans 34, Steelers 30
Week 16: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, December 26, 4:25 PM on CBS
In the first matchup between these two QBs, Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes threw for a combined 778 passing yards and nine touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 42-37 win in Pittsburgh. However, because this game is being played in Kansas City the day after Christmas, don’t expect something similar. If weather is a factor, it may benefit the Steelers, who are hoping that an improved rushing attack can help the Steelers getting more late-season success than in recent seasons. Like the majority of the games on their schedule, the game is ultimately going to come down to how well the Steelers’ secondary does against the best pass attacks in the league. Here, it’s against the best QB in the league plus a receiving core that features Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. An upset is still possible, but one can only dream of such a Christmas Miracle happening.
Week 16 score: Chiefs 30, Steelers 27
Week 17: vs. Cleveland Browns (MNF)
Monday, January 3, 8:15 PM on ESPN
Coming off a two-game losing streak, the Steelers should be well-prepared for a revenge match against the Browns. Although the Browns improved defensively, there is this question: Can the defense hold up against Najee Harris? The interior defensive line is somewhat suspect. Plus, how will they fare on the road against a Steelers offense that is not as predictable as last season? Given how both teams are at right now, you can say that a season split for these two teams is a success for the Steelers. Big Ben delivers a clutch touchdown and the Steelers’ defense does the rest of the work to ensure that happens, as the Steelers finish with an outstanding 8-1 home record.
Week 17 score: Steelers 24, Browns 20
Week 18 score: @ Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, January 9, 1:00 PM on CBS
Hey, remember when I said that the Dolphins could be involved in a tiebreaker with the Steelers? The key words were “could be.” Because the second of two games against the Ravens is in Baltimore. Given how bad the Steelers were on the road this season per the predictions, this is not good news. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense will make their share of plays, so it comes down to how well the Steelers’ offense does against the Ravens’ defense. Harris can make a sizeable difference in the case of keeping the Steelers’ offense balanced. That can lead to opening things up for Big Ben and the Steelers, as they should take advantage of the middle of the Ravens’ defense. However, the biggest factor regarding games within the AFC North is homefield advantage. That pays to the Ravens’ favor as the Steelers drop to a dreadful 2-6 on the road, so they will have to wait for the end of Raiders/Chargers to see if they clinch the 7th seed. In typical Chargers fashion, they lose, therefore making the playoffs by way of tiebreaker based on-head-to-head.
Week 18 score: Ravens 23, Steelers 20
Final Record Projection: 10-7
Projected Starters
Offense
QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Najee Harris
WR: Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster
TE: Eric Ebron/Pat Freiermuth
OL: Chukwuma Okorafor/Dan Moore Jr. (LT), Kevin Dotson (LG), Kendrick Green (C), Trai Turner (RG), Zach Banner (RT)
Defense
DL: Stephon Tuitt (LE), Tyson Alualu (NT), Cameron Heyward (RE)
EDGE: TJ Watt (WLB), Alex Highsmith (SLB)
ILB: Devin Bush Jr. (LILB), Joe Schobert (RILB)
CB: Joe Haden (LCB), Cam Sutton/James Pierre (RCB)
S: Terrell Edmunds (SS), Minkah Fitzpatrick (FS)
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