The Steelers’ top games and storylines for the 2024 NFL season
As the 2024 NFL season approaches, the Pittsburgh Steelers are poised for a thrilling slate of games, marked by high-stakes matchups and strategic face-offs. With a schedule that ranks among the toughest in the league, the Steelers’ season is filled with notable games that could define their year.
Key Matchups and High-Stakes Games
The Steelers’ 2024 schedule features several high-profile games that promise to be season highlights.
One of the most anticipated games on the Steelers’ schedule is the Christmas Day showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pittsburgh will play host for a major holiday that hopes to be a competitive game.
The matchup could also hold significant playoff implications, but will likely be highlighted for the off-field spotlights shined on Taylor Swift and Ciara, two pop stars who are romantically linked to players on each team. (Swift to Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and Ciara to Steelers QB Russell Wilson.) The game will also showcase the longest tenured coaches in the league including the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and Chiefs’ Andy Reid.
Another primetime battle features the Steelers hosting the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. The nationally televised broadcast for NBC’s Sunday Night Football will mark two of the most-watched NFL franchises. The last time Pittsburgh hosted Dallas, Cowboys fans all but invaded, creating a raucous atmosphere that felt like an away game.
For fans and bettors alike, these games are closely watched, with NFL betting lines offering a gauge of the expected outcomes and podcast discussions naturally providing deeper insights into each team’s strategy and preparation.
Rough Second Half
Additional key matchups include multiple intense AFC North division games all played within the second half of the calendar.
Two of those games include clashes with the Baltimore Ravens in Weeks 11 and 16, the latter of which will be a critical Saturday game broadcast on FOX. The divisional battles between these rivals are always fiercely contested, and these games could very well dictate playoff positioning for Pittsburgh. The second Ravens game is being played on a short week to allow for the Wednesday scheduling against the Chiefs on Christmas Day.
The Ravens game follows a trip to Philadelphia, a location Pittsburgh routinely struggles. The Steelers haven’t defeated the Eagles on the road in the modern era and the losses date back to Pittsburgh’s last win in Philly on October 24th, 1965!
The Steelers wrap the season hosting the Cincinnati Bengals for their final home game, which also has implications for the entire AFC and AFC North.
Needless to say, the second half of the Steelers calendar has been a major focal point since the schedule was released.
New Offense
The 2024 season will see the Steelers operating under a new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who is expected to revitalize the team’s offensive strategy. The synergy between Tomlin and the new offensive coordinator Smith will be particularly scrutinized. Smith’s fresh offensive strategies are expected to invigorate the Steelers’ playbook, but success will hinge on his ability to mesh his vision with Tomlin’s established coaching philosophy and the players’ execution on the field.
The additions of recent draft picks like offensive tackle Troy Fautanu and center Zach Frazier, plus last year’s first round selection Broderick Jones, will be crucial as Pittsburgh looks to bolster its offensive line. The line is seen as an important piece needed to protect the team’s new quarterbacks.
Pittsburgh added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields this offseason to replace Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, who were the team’s starters over the last two seasons. Everyone is in a wait-and-see approach to find out if Wilson still has some MVP juice left in his tank or if Fields was misused and Pittsburgh can untap his potential as a former first round pick.
The offensive line and quarterbacks will be scrutinized on a weekly basis – and more so if Smith’s system fails or its seen that Omar Khan failed to add a significant receiver to the mix this offseason to pair alongside George Pickens.
Defense Defense Defense
The Steelers defense has always been the crown jewel of the team and 2024 should be no different.
With perennial league defensive MVP T.J. Watt breathing down the necks of quarterbacks, the Steelers are always in contention. Yet, it’s the newest additions such as linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson who should help take this side of the football to the next level.
Other key additions in the secondary, such as Donte Jackson and DeShon Elliott, should free Minkah Fitzpatrick to also become the playmaker we’re accustomed to seeing.
If Fitzpatrick has another “off” season or Watt is sidelined for any extended time, the defense could become a larger storyline as it often propped up Pittsburgh’s weak offense during the 2023 season.
Impact of Rookies
Players like Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu, mentioned above, are expected to have immediate impacts, reinforcing the Steelers’ offensive front to create more opportunities for the running game. However, there’s quite a buzz around other incoming rookies too.
The hope is Fautanu and Frazier become cornerstones of the Steelers offensive line, but the offense will also look to speedy Roman Wilson to lend a hand. Wilson can fly down the field, but is also a willing and impactful blocker, as demonstrated last season during his time with the National Champion Michigan Wolverines.
Payton Wilson should cycle in on the Steelers defense alongside Queen and veteran Elandon Roberts. Wilson could be the steal of the draft, expected to bring intensity and playmaking ability to Pittsburgh’s already formidable defense. Undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop will start the season as Pittsburgh’s slot cornerback.
Also lookout for Mason McCormick, a rookie guard drafted in the fourth round who has a mean streak and appears to be the future at the position. He may struggle to get on the field with veterans James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo ahead of him on the depth chart, but an injury to the latter may open the door for more playing time early in the season.
How quickly these rookies adapt to the NFL’s pace and physicality will be crucial for the Steelers, who are looking to compete at the highest level and cannot afford a slow transition.
Tomlin’s Playoff Win Drought
Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s ability to get his team to perform against high-caliber opponents will be another critical factor this season. Tomlin’s teams are known for playing up to the competition, a trait that will be essential as they face a string of playoff-caliber teams throughout the season.
There’s a dark cloud hanging over Tomlin’s head, as the storied coach hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season. The Steelers have played in some lopsided postseason contests since, dropping games to the Jaguars, Browns, Chiefs, and Bills.
The additional storylines mentioned above will be nothing new for Tomlin to tackle. However, suffering his first losing season would be seen just as negatively as if Tomlin makes the playoffs to be “one and done” once more.
It’s critical that the Steelers get more from their quarterback play this season and that the offense can turn the corner too. Tomlin’s biggest knock has been his inability to win with the talent he’s had. Despite that talent not always being healthy, another ugly playoff loss and an early exit from postseason consideration can linger into the 2025 season and beyond.
