During NFL Total Access on Tuesday, David Carr discussed why the Pittsburgh Steelers should not be counted out of the AFC North and why they could compete with the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns. Over the past several seasons, Steelers fans have gotten used to seeing their team being disrespected when it comes to preseason AFC North rankings. In almost every ranking, the Steelers have been predicted to finish third, or last. This is nothing new.
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Steelers OLB TJ Watt bores down on Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
Ever since Lamar Jackson's successful second season where he won the NFL's MVP Award, the Steelers have been expected to finish behind the Ravens in the AFC North. The Bengals struck gold in the 2020 NFL Draft by selecting Joe Burrow first overall, he has since led them to two AFC Championships and one Super Bowl. Now they are almost always predicted to win the division. The Browns always seems to make a splash in the offseason, whether its by signing Jarvis Landry, Jadeveon Clowney, or Deshaun Watson in previous seasons. They are almost always expected to finish ahead of the Steelers. This all remains true, even though some of the Steelers' AFC North rivals received horrendous offseason grades.
Steelers In A Similar Situation As They Were In The Past
David Carr begins this statement by discussing the similarities between the Steelers' current state, and how they were after they had drafted Ben Roethlisberger. The blatant similarity is the quarterback situation. The Steelers have found a new quarterback in Kenny Pickett after 18 years of consistency at the position. While when Roethlisberger was drafted, the longevity of the quarterback position beforehand wasn't consistent. Kordell Stewart had been the primary starter from 1997 through 2000, with Tommy Maddox taking over for the next two seasons. However, a change at the quarterback position is always something to take note of because it is the most important piece of an offense. The Steelers also had a good defense at the time, which is what we expect to see this season.
"You have a good quarterback... I remember when Ben Roethlisberger came on the scene, the Steelers were in a similar boat. They had a good defense, all the pieces, then Ben came in and boom, off to Super Bowls. I think that's what they've found in Kenny Pickett."
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Steelers Kenny Pickett
The goal is always to win the Super Bowl for the Steelers. Does that mean Pickett will take them to the promise land this season? Not necessarily. But they are building the team around him that will give him the tools to do so. This can be seen by the Steelers having one of their most active offseasons in recent memory. They addressed many of their needs, bolstering their O-Line with free agent signings Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, as well as drafting Broderick Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Along with addressing the offensive line, the Steelers have also improved the secondary by signing free agents Patrick Peterson and Keanu Neal, plus drafting Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr.
Steelers Carrying Momentum Into The 2023 Season
The Steelers ended the 2022 NFL season 9-8. This is extremely impressive when you consider at one point during the season, they were a horrendous 3-7. This can be expected when you have such a young team, especially with a rookie quarterback. However, the Steelers were able to turn the season around, finishing with a 6-1 record and even having a shot at the postseason going into Week 18. Carr discusses the importance of finishing the season strong.
"You can watch teams at the end of seasons, especially with young players, gain confidence and start playing well. The Steelers at the end of the season were playing really good football, felt like they can beat anybody. That catapults you into the offseason and gives you hope."
-544x306.jpg "Steelers Mike Tomlin")
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Steelers' Head Coach Mike Tomlin smiles through the team's pregame warmups in Pittsburgh, PA.
After finishing the season on such a strong note, Mike Tomlin has the team in the right mindset going into the 2023 season. Going .500 or barely above isn't going to cut it, the expectations are higher this season. According to Carr, we should all expect the Steelers to be competing for the AFC North crown.
"This division is absolutely up for grabs... this division is going to be fun to watch. And Pittsburgh is going to be right there in the very end."
Carr expects the Steelers to be competing for the AFC North title in Week 18. What do you think, Steeler Nation? Comment below!
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