Will The Steelers Exceed Betting Expectations In 2023 And Win More Than Vegas Predicts?

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 2022 incredibly strong, winning seven of their last nine games to finish the season with an overall record of 9-8. With second-year quarterback, Kenny Pickett having a full offseason as the unquestioned starter and the addition of players such as Isaac Seumalo, Patrick Peterson, Cole Holcomb, Keanu Neal, and Elandon Roberts, the team has to be projected to win many more games in 2023, right? The latest betting odds would say otherwise, setting the over/under of the number of wins for the Steelers at 8.5. 

Pittsburgh is scheduled to play teams in both the AFC South and NFC West in 2023 in addition to their six AFC North division games. They will also face the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and Las Vegas Raiders. While it is nearly impossible at this point in the offseason to preview how the Steelers will match up against each team, it is important to note that the Steelers will play nine home games this year and only eight on the road.

How Do The Steelers Compare To AFC North Rivals? 

Three out of the four teams in the AFC North currently have their win totals set at 8.5. The only team projected to win more at (11.5) is the reigning AFC North Champion, Cincinnati Bengals. With back-to-back trips to the AFC Championship game, including a trip to Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the Bengals are absolutely deserving to be the odds-on favorite to repeat as divisional champions. 

There is no denying, however, that the Steelers main opponents have not done the same type of job this offseason in regards to improving their rosters as Omar Khan has for Pittsburgh. 

Why The Browns Will Struggle To Have Over 8.5 Wins

The Browns finished the 2022 season with a record of 7-10. Quarterback, Deshaun Watson, started the last six games after being suspended for a majority of the season. While Watson will most likely improve his play in 2023, the team still has a number of question marks at critical positions such as wide receiver, inside linebacker, and on defensive line. 

The team has done a nice job of addressing some of these positional needs with the additions of Dalvin Tomlinson, Elijah Moore, and Juan Thornhill, among others, but are these players really enough to take them to the next level and improve on their overall record in 2023? Furthermore, outside of the same opponents the Steelers will face in 2023, the Browns will play the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Denver Broncos next season.

All three of these teams will be vastly improved compared to last year, which may hurt the team's chances of cracking their projected number of wins. 

Why The Ravens Will Struggle To Hit Over 8.5 Wins

As each day passes this offseason, it becomes more evident that the Ravens have no idea what their quarterback situation will be in 2023. The ongoing saga of Lamar Jackson has been well documented, so there is little to add to the conversation that hasn't already been said. As a result of Jackson's contract dispute with the Ravens, the team has been unable to sign any significant free agent players outside of wide receiver, Nelson Agholor. 

Even then, how effective can Agholor be if he doesn't have a formidable quarterback to throw him the ball? Similar to the Browns, the three games the Ravens will take part in outside of the same ones as the Steelers will be against playoff-caliber teams: the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers. Both the Dolphins and Chargers have talented enough quarterbacks to defeat Baltimore and the Lions finished the 2022 season as one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. 

With all of this taken into consideration, it's hard to imagine a scenario where the Ravens find a way to win nine games in 2023. However, if there is any head coach who can have his team play above their talent level, it's John Harbaugh. Respect is given where it is due, and Harbaugh has certainly earned that.

Why The Steelers Can Win Nine Or More Games In 2023

The Steelers will be an improved team in 2023, especially when you consider the natural progression Kenny Pickett will make from his rookie season. The team has done a tremendous job of adding high-quality players to the roster, seemingly filling every positional need the team needed to address. While the Steelers aren't a Super Bowl favorite next season, the organization will have every opportunity in the world to compete for the AFC North title in 2023. 

If Omar Khan and the front office can find a way to add even more starter-quality players with their first and two second round selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, there is no telling how many games the Steelers could win. Having to play against a tough division in the NFC West next year may be difficult, but the team will certainly have opportunities to pick up some wins against a relatively weak AFC South division. 

The three other games against the Packers, Patriots, and Raiders will not be easy games either, but it helps that both the Patriots and Packers games will be played in Pittsburgh. 

With TJ Watt being fully healthy, an abundance of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball and an improved offensive line, the Steelers are set to compete immediately. It also doesn't hurt that Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season in his 16 years with Pittsburgh. If this trend continues in 2023, the Steelers will automatically hit the over on their projected number of total wins. Get ready, Steeler Nation. The time is now.

Thoughts, Steeler Nation? 

Would yinz say that 8.5 projected wins is a fair total for the Steelers heading in to next season? Is there a particular game you are most looking forward to watching in 2023? Do you find the projected wins for the other AFC North teams to be accurate? Let us know in the comments! 

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