There has been a ton of negativity surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers in regard to the entire organization. With the constant mediocrity in recent seasons, reported cheapness from ownership, and questionable decisions made throughout the offseason, fan excitement doesn't appear as high as it once was. There is only one way to push all that negativity out: winning. A few games here and there may calm the fans for a bit, but they need to show up in the playoffs to really win back many of these naysayers all over Steeler Nation.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' new head coach, Mike McCarthy, with Team President Art Rooney II and General Manager Omar Khan at McCarthy's introductory press conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers may begin winning some fans over sooner rather than later. While making an appearance on CBS Sports HQ Spotlight, analyst Ryan Wilson gave his optimistic take on how Pittsburgh will look early on.
"[The Steelers] can legitimately, if they're red hot, win those first eight games," Wilson said.
As is tradition in recent years, the Steelers' first half of the season looks soft while the back half is an absolute gauntlet. They play only one team that made the 2025 postseason before their bye week: the New England Patriots in Week 2. If Pittsburgh is as great as it claims to be, all eight of those contests are extremely winnable. That doesn't mean it will win all of them, but it should bode well for the team.
There are definitely a few interesting nuggets in this stretch of games, like being the designated road team in the first ever NFL event in Paris, France. They will be going against the New Orleans Saints as they go through the same pomp and circumstance that Pittsburgh did in Ireland in 2025. At the end of the day, all that matters is the fact that it can get the win against a team in transition.
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The Steelers and Saints will play each other in the historic Stade de France.
Also in this stretch, the Steelers will have to face their kryptonite: a road divisional game on Thursday Night Football. The Cleveland Browns may be a team in disarray after losing so many key pieces, but that hasn't stopped them from upsetting the Black and Gold before. If Mike McCarthy is going to prove that his team won't be the "Same Ol' Stillers," this contest will be his first test, and a win will be expected out of him.
The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Just because the Steelers are a better team on paper than their early-schedule opponents like the Browns and Saints doesn't mean that they will start 8-0 like Wilson thinks. It's definitely possible, but if they don't take it one game at a time, then that dream could quickly turn into a 3-5 start, and that's where panic will set in.
Steelers Need Strong First Half To Survive Season
All but one of the Steelers' opponents starting in Week 11 made the postseason in 2025, and nearly all of them have stout defenses. Entering the bye week 8-0 or with a similar record will definitely help the team relax a bit more and be more willing to play their game. If they get red-hot during that initial stretch, they can find a way to keep that momentum going against these stronger teams.
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Aaron Rodgers throws a pass for the Steelers during a Wild Card playoff game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium in 2026.
Breaking through the defense of teams like the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles will not be the least bit easy. Whether those offenses do well or not, the Steelers will not be able to win based on a few splash plays here and there to carry them. That is going to be the case for these final nine games. They can't afford to be behind the 8-ball coming out of the bye week, and they can't expect another AFC North collapse to give them the division.
What do you think about the Steelers possibly starting the season 8-0? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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