The Pittsburgh Steelers are hell-bent on successful a playoff recreation this season. Their offseason strikes, similar to signing QB Aaron Rodgers, buying and selling for WR DK Metcalf, and buying and selling FS Minkah Fitzpatrick for CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith, present Pittsburgh’s desperation. However even with these strikes, there are nonetheless many questions on how excessive Pittsburgh’s ceiling is.
Steelers beat author Ray Fittipaldo joined WMBS’ Sportsline with George Von Benko immediately and stated he thinks Pittsburgh can safe its highest win whole since 2020 due to Rodgers.
“Even after they didn’t have a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, they all the time managed to win 9 or 10 video games and be within the playoff chase, if not, make the playoffs,” stated Fittipaldo. “To me, if this works out to any diploma, the place Aaron and Arthur Smith are on the identical web page, possibly they will rise up to 24, 25 factors per recreation. I believe you’re cautiously optimistic that they may get to 11 wins this yr.”
Because the 2021 season, Pittsburgh has had a quarterback carousel of mediocre quarterbacks. In 2021, it was Ben Roethlisberger’s final season, throughout which his bodily decline was evident. In 2022 and 2023, the Steelers had been beginning both Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, or Mason Rudolph, all backups at present. And final season, Pittsburgh had Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. None of these names moved the needle because the Steelers did not common greater than 22.4 factors per recreation. But, they nonetheless managed to win 9 or ten video games and make the playoffs in three of these 4 seasons.
With Rodgers on the town, the hope is that he can enhance the quarterback play and assist the Steelers win a playoff recreation. Regardless of a tough yr final season the place Rodgers and the New York Jets averaged solely 19.9 factors per recreation, Pittsburgh is betting {that a} extra secure scenario and one other yr faraway from his Achilles surgical procedure will get Rodgers again to his greatest. Whereas Rodgers indicated that this yr might be his final, he isn’t close to the bodily decline that Roethlisberger was in 2021. Rodgers nonetheless has a robust arm and is among the most cerebral quarterbacks ever. If Pittsburgh’s younger offensive line provides Rodgers time, there’s a good probability Rodgers’ play considerably improves from final yr, the place he threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Whereas the win whole can be good, the objective is to win within the playoffs. However the two go hand-in-hand.
“If they will get to 11 wins, I believe they’ll improve their probabilities of successful that elusive playoff recreation,” stated Fittipaldo.
If Pittsburgh wins 11 video games, it has an honest shot at successful the AFC North. Being division champions can be enormous, as they might get a house playoff recreation in opposition to a possible weaker crew. However even when the Steelers don’t win the division with 11 wins, 11 wins needs to be sufficient to get the fifth seed. By doing that, Pittsburgh would possible keep away from the buzzsaws of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Buffalo Payments, and Baltimore Ravens, all groups the Steelers have misplaced to within the playoffs since 2021.
If the Steelers get a better draw within the playoffs, they’ve the expertise to win their first playoff recreation since 2016. However there’s a lengthy method to go till January, and the method begins on Wednesday when Rodgers and the Steelers report back to coaching camp in Latrobe, PA.
