Quietly, the Pittsburgh Steelers have built a rather solid team overall.
Only problem — seemingly — is that it comes in a gauntlet of an AFC picture entering the 2023 season. Top to bottom, the AFC has some major firepower, which will create a muddled playoff picture overall.
That muddled playoff picture along with some massive names joining new teams in the AFC has the Steelers being largely overlooked when it comes to the conference playoff picture, let alone the hierarchy within the AFC North.
Former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth, appearing on ESPN’s Get Up Monday morning, went in the opposite direction with the Steelers, stating that it’s time for the media to accept that the Steelers are going to make a playoff run in 2023, and that they are a better team than many analysts think.
“I think we have to accept that the Steelers are going to make a playoff run. This team is I think a lot better than any of us remember,” Foxworth said Monday morning. “When you look at that roster, especially now that they’ve addressed some of the issues on the offensive line even without the rookie Broderick Jones starting, they have playmakers on the outside. [Pat] Freiermuth is one of the best tight ends. [Najee] Harris is an outstanding running back. Kenny Pickett was a big question mark; he’s playing incredibly well in this preseason.”
On paper, Pittsburgh looks very strong.
Offseason additions in free agency of veterans Patrick Peterson, Isaac Seumalo, Keanu Neal, Elandon Roberts, Cole Holcomb, Kwon Alexander and Allen Robinson II have seemingly solidified Pittsburgh’s biggest areas of need, while the selections of Jones, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton, Darnell Washington, Nick Herbig and Spencer Anderson via the 2023 NFL Draft have given Pittsburgh an infusion of youth and versatility that has the roster looking rather strong.
Add in the fact that second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett and second-year wide receiver George Pickens have seemingly taken a substantial leap forward ahead of the 2023 season and excitement is high for a group that was seemingly overlooked and largely underrated due to the large number of media members and analysts who weren’t believers in Pickett coming out of Pitt.
They are now.
“He was 20th overall in a class at quarterbacks that we thought weren’t going to be good, so I think that’s part of it. And trying to follow a legend like Ben Roethlisberger’s going to be hard to be hard to do. I think that all comes together and we kind of underestimate Kenny Pickett,” Foxworth said. “You have to appreciate that he’s gotten better and this team has brought him along slowly and coached him well and put all the pieces around him that he needs. The offensive line was the biggest concern that they had last year. When you’ve got the defense that they have, you’re not going to be asking a whole lot out of your young quarterback. You’re going to ask him to make a couple of plays a game because the defense is going to suffocate other teams.”
Pickett has gotten better and looked really good so far in the preseason. He looks more in command of the offense, confidently pushing the ball down the field, and is taking advantage of the space in the middle of the field, leading to some big plays in the passing game.
Then there’s that star-studded defense that is back healthy with the full return of T.J. Watt and the long-term extension of Alex Highsmith to pair with Cameron Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick. That has things look really good overall in Pittsburgh.
Based on the way Pittsburgh played in the second half of the 2022 season, going 7-2 down the stretch, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that the style of play the Steelers want to utilize in 2023 leads to a playoff run. They have all the tools on both sides of the football to do that. Now it’s about putting it all together.
Should Pittsburgh be able to put it all together, it could be a really special season in Pittsburgh. The playoffs look like a legitimate possibility for Pittsburgh. Get into the dance and who knows what happens from there.
