The panel of ESPN hosts agree on one thing. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a good team. Are they a playoff team? That’s a much harder question. In a loaded AFC and AFC North, the Steelers could be a better group than 2022 but end up with the same result, sitting on their couch during Wild Card weekend.
Friday, Get Up debated the Steelers’ playoff hopes with some debate about their chances, starting with reporter Jeff Darlington, who showed skepticism.
“We’re all just recognizing how strong the AFC is in general…it’s not as if it’s easy entry with the Wild Card,” Darling said. “The AFC East is so stacked. You’ve got the Chargers and the Chiefs in the same division. I think it’s complicated math. Not an insult to anything the Steelers project to be.”
Every team in the AFC North not only believes they can make the playoffs but take the divisional crown. The Cincinnati Bengals have finished first each of the last two years and spent the offseason upgrading their offensive line. A healthy Lamar Jackson makes the Baltimore Ravens obvious contenders with a far better cast of names for him to throw to, adding Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers this offseason. The Cleveland Browns are banking on QB Deshaun Watson to return to form as a top-five quarterback in the league while the Steelers are hoping to see a leap from QB Kenny Pickett. Based on preseason results, the offense looks improved compared to recent years.
But as Darlington notes, there will be other teams vying for just three Wild Card spots. The Los Angeles Chargers are always in the mix. The AFC East has the Miami Dolphins and Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets battling the Buffalo Bills. The Jacksonville Jaguars are an emerging AFC South team while the Tennessee Titans are always in the mix, a winning record in four of Mike Vrabel’s five seasons leading the team.
Inevitably, some competitive team will be squeezed out. That could be the Steelers.
Former offensive lineman Damien Woody was more optimistic.
“All these young players, the Kenny Pickett, the George Pickens,” Woody said. “If those guys take a leap, then I absolutely feel like the Pittsburgh Steelers will be in the playoffs.”
Pittsburgh’s young offense fought through their issues and rookie bumps a year ago. They’ve come out stronger on the other side with an impressive summer, the first-team offense scoring on all five of their preseason possessions. At the least, they shouldn’t be a 20-something ranked scoring offense as they were in 2021 and 2022.
Analyst and former NFL corner Domonique Foxworth split the difference, “guaranteeing” the Steelers would make it if they played in a less-competitive NFC but questioned if they could be a top-seven club in the AFC.
Based on how almost all Steelers’ seasons go, the answers should come down to the final two weeks of the season. Pittsburgh being right in the mix at the very end. They’ll finish out the year with a pair of road games, travelling out West to Seattle in Week 17 before heading to Baltimore in Week 18 for a game that could have critical playoff meaning for both squads.
