The Pittsburgh Steelers rather amazingly have never finished with a losing season under Coach Mike Tomlin. Might that change in 2023? A lot depends on the growth of second-year QB Kenny Pickett.

A Closer Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL Season

Pads were poppin' today@Acrisure Practice Pics : https://t.co/LmzpgRlqKF pic.twitter.com/gYalTV8EZw

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 1, 2023

• NFL Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers — 1:00 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 2: vs. Cleveland Browns — 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC)
• NFL Week 3: at Las Vegas Raiders — 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
• NFL Week 4: at Houston Texans — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 5: vs. Baltimore Ravens — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 6: BYE
• NFL Week 7: at Los Angeles Rams — 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 8: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 9: vs. Tennessee Titans — 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
• NFL Week 10: vs. Green Bay Packers — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 11: at Cleveland Browns — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 12: at Cincinnati Bengals — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 13: vs. Arizona Cardinals — 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
• NFL Week 14: vs. New England Patriots — 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
• NFL Week 15: at Indianapolis Colts — TBD (TBD)
• NFL Week 16: vs. Cincinnati Bengals — 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
• NFL Week 17: at Seattle Seahawks — 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
• NFL Week 18: at Baltimore Ravens — TBD (TBD)

Shaking Off the Dust

In 2003, the Pittsburgh Steelers finished 6-10. That earned them the No. 11 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft and the Steelers took future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. They have not finished with a losing record since, although Big Ben retired after the 2022 campaign. The 19 straight seasons without a losing record is two shy of tying the NFL mark of 21 straight by the Dallas Cowboys from 1965-86. Pittsburgh has won at least eight games in each of those seasons, tying the Patriots from 2001-19 for the most consecutive eight-win seasons.

At one point last year, the Steelers were 3-7 but they closed 6-1 to finish at 9-8 and just miss a wild card spot in the AFC. The team had to beat visiting Cleveland in Week 18 and get some help to earn a spot. The Steelers did their part with a 28-14 victory as they sacked Browns QB Deshaun Watson seven times and picked him off twice. Alas, Pittsburgh didn’t get the help it needed elsewhere.

It was Tomlin’s record 16th straight non-losing season. He has coached 258 regular season games with the Steelers, and Tomlin’s teams have been mathematically alive for the playoffs in 257 of them. That’s amazing.

Pittsburgh does have the longest odds of the four teams to win the AFC North this year but has gone 34 straight seasons without finishing last in its division (since 1988), the longest active streak in the NFL by 12 years.

A Tough Team

The Pittsburgh defense is always among the NFL’s best and should be again in 2023. One reason for the slow start last year was 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and sack king TJ Watt tearing his left pectoral in Week 1 and missing seven games and rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett enduring a rocky indoctrination into the NFL.

Watt is fully healthy now. The club has a rising star in fellow linebacker Alex Highsmith, who got a big extension this offseason. Highsmith totaled eight sacks and one forced fumble in his first two seasons combined but went nuts with 14.5 sacks and five forced fumbles (T1 in NFL) last year. Highsmith ranks first in the league in strip sacks (five), first in forced fumbles (six) and is tied for second in sacks (17.5) in his last 20 games.

This week, Pittsburgh also added a very good veteran linebacker in former Pro Bowler Kwon Alexander. Alexander, who turns 29 next week, visited the Steelers in May, but he remained a free agent as teams reported to training camp this week. He spent the 2022 season with the Jets, starting 12 games. He had 69 tackles, six tackles for loss, one forced fumble and a half sack. A fourth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015, Alexander has 11 career forced fumbles, eight interceptions and 12.5 sacks and one interception.

The secondary will look different with the additions of Joey Porter Jr. in the draft and potential future Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson in free agency. Peterson, who will be entering his 13th season in the NFL, is a three-time First-Team All-Pro selection, making it in 2011 as a punt returner, and 2013 and 2015 as a corner. Peterson has 34 career interceptions, tied with Harrison Smith for the most interceptions of any active NFL player. He had five interceptions in 2022, the second-most of his career.

Pickett could be primed for a Year 2 jump under center after throwing five touchdowns to one interception over his final seven games. Not only is this season pivotal for Pickett, but it’s also critical for offensive coordinator Matt Canada, who enters the final year of his contract. Though the offense got better after the midseason bye in 2022, the Steelers had a league-worst 12 passing touchdowns. Pickett does have a rising young star at wideout in George Pickens and one of the better tight ends in the NFL in Pat Freiermuth.

At tailback, Najee Harris’ talent is undeniable, but he needs to have a big year. The Alabama product leads the NFL in both carries (579) and touches (694) over the course of his two-year career. He has been able to total 2,930 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns so far, but efficiency (3.9 yards per carry average) has been a concern. Harris will be eligible for an extension after the campaign.

What Can Be Expected in 2023?

Pittsburgh hosts an excellent San Francisco team in Week 1 with the Niners as 3-point favorites. It’s the first time the Steelers open at home since 2014 and only the 10th time since Acrisure Stadium opened in 2001. Cleveland visits Pittsburgh in Week 2 on Monday night. This will be the 19th straight year the Steelers will play on Monday Night Football. It will also be the first time the Steelers have had back-to-back home games to begin the season since the 1997 season.

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READ MORE: Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL Season Betting Guide