The 2024 NFL season is finally here as it kicks off Thursday night with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens on NBC. As I do every year at this same time, below are my final regular season records and playoff predictions for the upcoming season, with the main focus being on the Pittsburgh Steelers. But first, have a little fun by looking at my predictions from last season at this same time.
Let’s get on with my 2024 thoughts.
So, what do I think about the 2024 Steelers? Well, I am certainly not very bullish on them for 2024. Last year, I was too bullish on the Steelers coming out of the preseason and had them going 11-6 with QB Kenny Pickett. While the Steelers did end with a 10-7 record in 2023, and in the playoffs to boot, that was quite a feat based on all that happened during the season. The offense was awful and the defense had to work through numerous injuries, with several happening at the inside linebacker position. The 2023 Steelers team lost a few games that seemed to be easy ones on paper. Even so, and mainly thanks to QB Mason Rudolph, they went on to make the playoffs and lost in the Wild Card round to the Buffalo Bills.
The Steelers rebuilt their quarterback room this past offseason with the additions of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen. They also added three young offensive linemen via the 2024 NFL Draft in T Troy Fautanu, C Zach Frazier and G Mason McCormick. ILB Patrick Queen was a nice addition via free agency during the offseason, and one can’t help but to like the prospects of ILB Payton Wilson, another 2024 draft pick.
As part of their offseason moves, the Steelers traded away WR Diontae Johnson and got CB Donte Jackson in return. The wide receiver room, however, wasn’t rebuilt well on paper. In addition to the studly George Pickens, the offense now has several No. 3 and No. 4 options to go along with him in Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller. While the team did also add WR Roman Wilson during the 2024 NFL Draft, an ankle injury will result in his rookie season getting off to a terribly slow start.
The Steelers thankfully hired a better offensive coordinator this past offseason in Arthur Smith, who was previously the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Even so, Smith’s offense will be predicated mainly on the running game being successful as part of personnel groupings that include two or more tight ends. How quickly the offensive line can gel in 2024 will determine how good running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren can be on the ground.
Defensively for the Steelers in 2024, I am not overly worried about that side of the ledger, especially if everyone stays healthy. Their front seven is one of the best in the NFL. CB Joey Porter Jr. should take another step in bettering his play in 2024, and it’s good to see S Minkah Fitzpatrick back healthy again. The Steelers 2024 defense will need to play very well if this team wants to win more than eight games.
The Steelers did add a consistent punter in the offseason in Cameron Johnston, and that is another reason to be excited ahead of the 2024 season getting underway. I do wonder, however, how good the punt coverage team will be, especially when it comes to the gunner positions.
The Steelers, at least at the time of this post, are the lowest cash spending team in the NFL for 2024. Most of the cash they have invested in their team for 2024 is on the defensive side of the football. It seems like they could have done a better job with offensive cash spending, however. They needed a compliment for Pickens ever since Johnson was traded away in March, and they never added one. It’s a shame the whole Brandon Aiyuk thing never came to fruition. The Steelers offense seems to be lacking big-time playmakers other than Pickens. That’s concerning.
I entered this week thinking that the Steelers would go 10-7 for the 2024 season and possibly squeeze into the playoffs again with such a record. However, with the Thursday news that Wilson might still be dealing with his calf issue, that resulted in me flipping one additional game into the loss column for the 2024 Steelers. While I do like the overall skillset of Fields, I think Wilson gives the team the better chance at winning an extra game or two. Now I worry that even if Wilson is cleared to start the season on Sunday, we haven’t heard the last of his calf injury.
To put things more simply, I’m worried about the Steelers offense in 2024. I’m also worried about the second half of the schedule that includes all six of the Steelers’ AFC North games being played in a matter of eight weeks. That’s one hell of a gauntlet that also includes games against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas. If the Steelers don’t’ make hay in their first eight games, meaning at least a 5-3 record, it’s hard seeing them hit 10 wins.
So, after a change of heart this week, I now have the Steelers finishing the 2024 regular season with a 9-8 record. I very much hope to be wrong about that. If HC Mike Tomlin can lead this team to 11 or more wins, he should win the 2024 NFL Head Coach of the Year award, in my opinion. A 9-8 record isn’t likely to get the Steelers into the playoffs, so I have them coming up short when it comes to the postseason aspect.
I sadly am predicting the Steelers to finish third in the AFC North for 2024, behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. I also have them going 3-3 in divisional games in 2024. Even if the Steelers do sneak into the 2024 playoffs, winning one Wild Card game seems like it would be a huge achievement. Not securing a playoff win in 2024 will surely cause the seat to get really hot for Tomlin and GM Omar Khan as well. Teams need to be above average at the quarterback position to compete for a Super Bowl championship. In my opinion, neither Wilson nor Fields are above average.
Ultimately, I have the San Francisco 49ers beating the Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch from the 2023 season.
Enjoy the 2024 season and here’s to me being off by at least a few wins. Let me know your predictions for the 2024 Steelers and the rest of the NFL in the comments below. Thank you for reading.
| 2024 NFL PREDICTED FINAL STANDINGS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||
| AFC East | W | L | T |
| Buffalo Bills | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Miami Dolphins | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| New York Jets | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| New England Patriots | 3 | 14 | 0 |
| AFC North | W | L | T |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7 | 10 | 0 |
| AFC South | W | L | T |
| Houston Texans | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Tennessee Titans | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 5 | 12 | 0 |
| AFC West | W | L | T |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 6 | 11 | 0 |
| Denver Broncos | 4 | 13 | 0 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||
| NFC East | W | L | T |
| Dallas Cowboys | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Washington Commanders | 5 | 12 | 0 |
| New York Giants | 4 | 13 | 0 |
| NFC North | W | L | T |
| Detroit Lions | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Green Bay Packers | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 6 | 11 | 0 |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | 14 | 0 |
| NFC South | W | L | T |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| New Orleans Saints | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| Carolina Panthers | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| NFC West | W | L | T |
| San Francisco 49ers | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 3 | 14 | 0 |
NFC WILD CARD ROUND
Packers beat Buccaneers
Cowboys beat Eagles
49ers beat Saints
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
49ers beat Cowboys
Packers beat Lions
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
49ers beat Packers
AFC WILD CARD ROUND
Dolphins beat Bengals
Bills beat Jaguars
Texans beat Jets
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND
Texans beat Bills
Chiefs beat Dolphins
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Chiefs beat Texans
SUPER BOWL 59
49ers beat Chiefs
