Bold Prediction For The Pittsburgh Steelers As The #1 Seed From Bill Simmons: "People Are Going To Think I'm Drunk!"

The start of the 2023 NFL regular season is so close, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will take the field for Week 1 at Acrisure Stadium in just a few days. Predictions and speculations about the team's performance in 2023 are flying around, and there are definitely some bold predictions being made. 

One member of the sports media has made arguably the most bold prediction of the offseason in regards to the outcome of the Steelers season. That person would be none other than Bill Simmons, as he made a pretty optimistic prediction when it came to the Steelers' regular season record on his podcast The Bill Simmons Podcast.

The Steelers Will Be The Number One Seed In The AFC According To Bill Simmons

Simmons made the prediction that the Steelers not only would make the playoffs in 2023, but that they would be the number one seed in the AFC! Even Simmons himself knows how crazy of a prediction this is, as he starts off listing his playoff teams by stating people are going to think he is drunk based on his seven teams he put in the playoffs from the AFC. Below is his comments on it. 

"So I have three playoff teams in the AFC North," Simmons started. "Here is what I have. People are going to think I'm drunk. I have the Pittsburgh Steelers as the one seed. I have the Chiefs as the two seed, I have them with the same record, 12-5 for both. I have Miami as the three seed at 11-6. I have Tennessee at the four seed, Cincy first wild card at 11-6. I think it's a rocky year though, I think people get nervous the first month and then they rally. Cleveland as our six seed, and New England at 9-8 in like a five team 9-8 tie to get the seven seed."

He is correct on one thing, there are definitely people in the comments thinking he had a couple beverages before putting out this list. 

Looking down the Steelers 2023 schedule, it isn't impossible to see them winning 12 games this season. With the improvements the team has made to both sides of the ball, as well as Kenny Pickett poised to take a second year leap, anything could happen. However, it is still a tough sell saying that the Steelers can come out on top of a very tough AFC North, let alone the entire conference, which is poised to be a blood bath at the top. 

On his podcast, Simmons was joined by Peter Schrager who is an NFL analyst for Fox Sports. His predictions were a bit more in line with what the majority of people are thinking, meaning the Steelers aren't the number one seed and the Buffalo Bills don't miss the playoffs. Here are Schrager's comments. 

"I like the Bengals as a one seed alright, I like the Chiefs as a two seed. As my three seed the Jaguars, I got the Jets winning the AFC East. That's my four seed. Five I go Bills, I did go Bills. Six Steelers, and then seven, my homerun swing, you know you always got to throw it out there. One team that is going to come from nowhere, I've got the Denver freaking Broncos making the playoffs."

Most will fall more in line with what Schrager is thinking, but Steeler Nation would be ecstatic to see another 12 win season by the Steelers, which hasn't happened since 2018. 

The beginning of the season will go a long way in letting everyone know what they should expect from the Steelers in 2023, as they get a tough home test from the San Francisco 49ers to open the season and follow it up with a tough divisional game at home against the Cleveland Browns. The 49ers may have two key pieces limited by injury and/or conditioning in tight end George Kittle and defensive end Nick Bosa, but they're still one of the best teams in the NFL regardless of that. 

What record do you think the Steelers will finish the regular season with when it is all said and done? Do you think they have a shot at the number one seed in the AFC? Let us know in the comments below!

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