The Pittsburgh Steelers will have the pleasure of playing in one of, if not, the league's toughest division in 2023. The AFC North is stacked with talent and each fan base (yes, even that of the Cleveland Browns), can come up with legitimate reasoning as to why their team could come out on top and host a playoff game. The Cincinnati Bengals have been in two straight AFC Championship games, while the Baltimore Ravens finally agreed to a long-term deal with dynamic quarterback, Lamar Jackson. It's anyone's guess as to who will be crowned the champion early in 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach, Mike Tomlin addresses the fans at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA during the team's training camp in 2022. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
It's hard not to look passed the AFC North. Whichever team comes out alive will be free from battling for Wild Card spots with a jam-packed AFC East and West. The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to take care of business in the South. With only seven spots available for the road to the Super Bowl, every game is going to matter throughout the 2023 season.
The Steelers are not being highly touted and have consistently been marked as the team with the worst odds to win the AFC North in 2023. Despite Kenny Pickett entering his second season, having a completely revamped offensive line and a star-studded, experienced defense, not many individuals think Pittsburgh can pull off a playoff run.
The organization has one of the easier schedules entering the 2023 season and will need to take advantage of that in case certain divisional games don't go as planned. The easiest path to the playoffs is likely to be winning the division simply based on all of the teams that will be vying for the final three spots. It sure didn't go the Steelers' way in 2022 after missing the postseason with a record of 9-8 in Pickett's rookie year.
Steelers' quarterback, Kenny Pickett (#8) runs for a first down during a 2022 regular season game at Acrisure Stadium against the New York Jets in Pittsburgh, PA. | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Jeremy Fowler, an ESPN analyst, who once covered Pittsburgh for the sports outlet, recently joined The Rich Eisen Show on Monday and discussed a number of NFL topics. One of the conversations that came up was a potential sleeper team that isn't getting enough credit. Fowler pointed to no one other than Mike Tomlin and his Steelers squad.
"Nobody's talking about Pittsburgh. You know the defense is good and they've got weapons. If Kenny Pickett can sorta manage it and play in the fourth quarter like he did [at the end of 2022]," Fowler said.
The Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Bengals are the teams on the forefront of most fans' minds. Now, Aaron Rodgers is a member of the New York Jets and some believe Robert Saleh's team could be the one to beat, not just in the AFC East, but the entire conference as a whole. It's not a surprise that the Steelers are a sleeper in 2023 and it may even be a benefit that they are. The pressure to perform is not as strong as in years' past.
Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (#8) winds up to make a throw during 2022 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Steelers Will Rely On Big Jump From Pickett In 2023
Pittsburgh was fortunate enough to win a Super Bowl in Ben Roethlisberger's second season back in the 2005-2006 campaign. Those may be lofty expectations to have for Pickett, but if the defense can remain healthy and offense makes a solid jump with Pickett leading the way, there is no reason to deny the Steelers could make some noise and prove Fowler right. It's a quarterback-driven league and there are some stout ones in the AFC that Pickett will need to go head-to-head against if he wants to make a name for himself early in his young career.
Do you agree with Fowler? Are the Steelers one of the biggest sleepers in the AFC? Let us know in the comments below!
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