Will the Steelers win another game this season?
I mean, it’s what we’re all thinking, isn’t it? One could easily be forgiven for thinking the Steelers are spiraling irretrievably out of control, mired in a three-game losing streak. Of course, one can conveniently forget the circumstances of that streak, including the quality of opponent. One can also forget the fact that the Steelers did go 10-3 prior to that losing streak, not long ago.
The fact is, though, that the Steelers are playing some of their first worst football at the worst time. It’s not just that they lost to the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs, it’s also how they lost. They were hardly competitive, and didn’t do the things they typically rely upon in victory.
So will the Steelers win another game this year? And if they don’t win the next one, how hard does the next one become? Because they do still have some control over their first-round playoff opponent, even if they are unlikely to win the division.
If the Steelers beat the Bengals at home, then they will have the top AFC Wild Card seed (provided they don’t win the AFC North). In such a scenario, they would play the Texans in Houston in the first round. Outside of hosting a playoff game, that would give them the most favorable chance of winning in the playoffs.
But if the Steelers lose to the Bengals, they could end up as the sixth seed depending upon other results. Should that happen, then they would find themselves playing the Ravens in Baltimore yet again. The last time didn’t go so well, and the next likely wouldn’t, either.
It’s quite possible that the Steelers lose their final regular-season game and then bounce out of the playoffs early. They could end the 2024 season on a five-game losing streak, an immense collapse that would set the stage for a miserable offseason. Those getting their hopes up should not prepare for news of a Mike Tomlin firing, though, should that happen. Who knows? Maybe they win the division and go on to the Super Bowl. Hey, it could happen—right? Right?
SteelersThe Steelers’ 2024 season is underway, following another disappointing year ending in a first-round playoff loss. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January. There are positive signs, but things could jump off the rails any moment.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Is Russell Wilson earning a lucrative new deal next year, and is Justin Fields still in consideration? How will the team continue to address the depth chart, which is surprisingly still in flux?
The regular season is here, following weeks of camp and preseason games. The Steelers made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
