The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to start the season against the Cleveland Browns on September 9th. The team is currently riding a ten-game winning streak and has fans everywhere excited for the upcoming season. The team’s recent success, coupled with the fact that we’ve got a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback, has many people looking forward to this year. If you’re wondering what the Steelers could look like this year, here are our predictions for wins and losses.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Predictions for Wins
While every game counts, there are still some games where the Steelers aren’t expected to win. While this doesn’t mean a loss, it does mean that we might see a lower-quality team play the Steelers. This will include the Steelers taking on the Jaguars and the Eagles. The Steelers also have some tough matchups that could easily see them on the losing end, like the Chiefs, Patriots, Vikings, Packers, and the Falcons.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Predictions for Losses
There’s no doubt that the Browns will play hard for their opponent, but the Steelers should have a field day against the Browns. The Steelers should play one of their best games of the season and not look back. In Week 2, the Steelers take on the Chiefs.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Predictions for Losses
Week 6 vs. the Cleveland Browns: Loss
The Steelers will head into this game without top-tier running back Le’Veon Bell. It’s safe to say that Bell won’t be able to recover from his injury from last season and be ready to go in time for this game. Also, the Browns are a very young team on the rise that still has some holes to fill. The team might be inexperienced but they have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, giving them a chance to pull off a shocker in this one.
Week 15 at the Baltimore Ravens: Loss
The Steelers will be on a short week after playing the Browns and will also be coming off a physical game with the Jaguars. The team will have difficulty stopping the run this week against a strong Ravens run defense and will fall short in this one.
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How the New Offensive Coordinator Could Affect the Season
When the Steelers hired Todd Haley as their offensive coordinator earlier this offseason, many fans were happy and excited about the move. But many fans also remained skeptical that this will mean a big jump in their production, due to Haley’s less than stellar history. In his final year in Kansas City, the offense managed to average 20.3 points per game, which ranked 23rd in the NFL. He also spent three years in Arizona, before moving on to Cleveland where he spent one season as offensive coordinator before being fired.
As a result, some fans remain hesitant to think the offense will suddenly turn it up a notch because of one change. But this just may be a case of overreaction.
How the New Quarterback Could Affect the Season
The Steelers made the move to sign quarterback Josh Dobbs during the offseason. Dobbs was the fourth-round pick for the team last year but the Steelers do not have many opportunities to play him. He has had a small amount of time working with the first team during training camp, and this will be his first live game action as a starter. It’s uncertain how he will perform but this could impact his playing time for the rest of the year.
Considering the fact that the Steelers don’t have much to play for this season, this won’t likely affect the Steelers season too much. But it’s something to watch for and take into account if they make the postseason.
How the Offense Will Look
Much of the offensive production could go up or down if Le’Veon Bell decides to sit out until the season is over.
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Conclusion
Yes, we’re predicting that the Steelers will go 13-3 this season, but that doesn’t mean they will absolutely win the Super Bowl. We think they’ll win the AFC North division and likely make the playoffs, but we’re predicting that the Atlanta Falcons will come out on top of the NFC. We don’t think Pittsburgh will be able to get by the top-seeded New England Patriots in the AFC, and if they can’t, they’ll lose in the divisional round.
As for the Falcons, we think they’ll beat the Green Bay Packers to win the NFC Championship. However, they’ll lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
So here’s how we’re predicting it will shake down.