Steelers can win the AFC North, according to analyst
At 2-1, the Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a solid start for what is hopefully another winning season for head coach Mike Tomlin. And at least one famous analyst thinks they could wind up as surprise division winners in a loaded AFC North.
The sportsbooks don’t agree just yet, FanDuel has the odds of a Steelers division win at +350. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Steelers and NFL news, consider checking out the resources at OvertimeHeroics.net. They provide up-to-date betting info and all things related to the National Football League.
However, let’s explore why this one analyst thinks they have a chance.
What would it take for Pittsburgh to win the AFC North?
During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show, Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger gave his thoughts on the Steelers potentially winning the AFC North.
“I really think this is the best division in football right now,” said Spielberger. “I don’t think they get enough credit for how good the division is top to bottom on paper. The talent is pretty crazy but yes … if Kenny Pickett can take that next step like Jalen Hurts, then I don’t see why they can’t win the division.”
Massive improvement from Pickett would certainly make things easier, but let’s explore some other ways the Steelers will have to excel to take home a surprise division championship.
A Kenny Pickett breakout
Like Brad Spielberger said, it will take a Jalen Hurts-esque breakout from Kenny Pickett for the Steelers to win the AFC North in 2023, but have we seen any signs of that through three weeks?
The answer is a resounding maybe. Pickett looked shaky through the first couple of games, but their Week 3 win over the Raiders on Sunday night could be the catalyst for a positive turning point.
Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s playbook seemed much more diverse, and Pickett thrived with a 108.5 quarterback rating. We’ll have to wait and see over the next few weeks, but things seem to be trending in the right direction.
A potent rushing attack
It’s clear that the Steelers are relying on the ground game to do some heavy lifting in this offense, and that simply hasn’t been the case so far this season. Pittsburgh is languishing, ranking 30th in total rushing yards, and 28th in yards per attempt at just 3.2.
Like Pickett, Week 3 was something of a turning point for the running back room. After rushing for a combined 96 yards over the first two games, the group managed to crack the triple-digit mark against Las Vegas. A lot of that came down to simplifying the playbook for the offensive line and lead back Najee Harris.
By effectively splitting the play calls between run and pass, the Steelers were able to rely less on Pickett throwing the ball and also sprinkle in play action. However, even with the improvement, they’re still a long way off from the level they need to be at to win the division.
Dominant Defensive Play
In recent years, you can always count on the Steelers to excel on the defensive side of the ball, and they’ve done exactly that outside of a Week 1 matchup against a quite frankly unguardable (at times) 49ers team.
Led by an absolutely ridiculous pass rush featuring T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, along with the elite safety play of All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Pittsburgh defense is a force to be reckoned with. They showed in Week 2 against Cleveland that they’re more than capable of winning games on their own when the offense is having a bad night.
Underperformance Elsewhere
The best thing going for the Steelers so far in the division is how unstable the rest of the teams look.
The Browns appear stuck in the mud with a Deshaun Watson contract that looks more and more like an albatross with each passing day. The Bengals are off to a concerning 1-2 start and have a Joe Burrow calf injury to deal with. And the Ravens looked great through two weeks but then came back with a head-scratching loss at the hands of Gardner Minshew and the basement-dwelling Indianapolis Colts.
When chaos reigns, it seems the Steelers seem to thrive. This is setting up to be a season where they work their magic once again.
A Chance Is There
Brad Spielberger is absolutely right: the Steelers have a serious chance of winning the division if Kenny Pickett and the offense can take a leap. But, there’s still far too many questions to call them the favorites anytime soon.
Despite improvements in Week 3, Pittsburgh’s offense hasn’t been the greatest. Consistent growth from Pickett as well as Najee Harris will be critical to making a dent in the division, so long as the defense shows it can play like the last two weeks and not as they did in the opener.
