The Pittsburgh Steelers have gotten their offseason workouts underway and fans are starting to count down the weeks until the team heads to St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania for their annual training camp in the small mountain town in central Pennsylvania. There is a definite buzz around the city of Pittsburgh due to the incredible offseason the Steelers have had during the draft and free agency to significantly improve their roster on paper.
With OTAs underway, it is officially prediction season around the NFL media landscape for the upcoming 2023 campaign, and one prediction ranking the divisions across the league has the Steelers playing in the third toughest division in the NFL in 2023. Does that affect your mind set when betting on the Steelers for the upcoming season? It shouldn't, and you can have a casino bonus to put your money where your mouth is with the Steelers primed for a solid year.
Steelers.com
Steelers' quarterback Kenny Pickett during 2023 OTAs.
Jeff Kerr of CBS ranked all eight divisions in the NFL and put the AFC North third on the list. The NFC East was his top prediction, which is understandable due to it being home to the former NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. Those won't be the only teams making noise in the NFC East in 2023, Daniel Jones and the New York Giants finished the season with an upset victory in the playoffs over the Minnesota Vikings before ultimately losing to the Eagles in the divisional round on the road in Philadelphia.
After the NFC East, Kerr has the AFC East coming in as the second toughest division in football. This comes after the New York Jets went out and made a blockbuster deal to acquire future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. Not only did the Jets find a way to land Rodgers, but they also brought in one of his top receiving targets in Green Bay, Allen Lazard.
Where I believe Kerr is wrong, is where he put the AFC North. Although it is extremely close, I do believe the North is stronger than the East from top to bottom. The North has always been known for its smashmouth football and primetime matchups on brisk Sundays in late December, usually determining someone's fate on making the playoffs. Something though has significantly changed in the last handful of seasons when it comes to the AFC North.
In the early to mid-2000s, the teams in the north prided themselves on defense and low-scoring affairs. But in recent years we have seen the emergence of young quarterbacks full of talent enter the AFC North and completely change the landscape of the division. Most notably the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. The train doesn't stop there, Lamar Jackson won an MVP in 2019 with the Baltimore Ravens and recently signed a five-year $260 million contract which made him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
Over the last year and a half, we saw Deshaun Watson join the Cleveland Browns along with Kenny Pickett's stellar rookie season that included multiple game-winning drives with the Steelers. There is no doubt in my mind that the AFC North is the toughest division in the AFC simply due to the talent that is at quarterback with each team in the division.
AP Photo/Matt Freed
Steelers' rivals Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) during their matchup on Week 17 of the 2022-23 season in Pittsburgh, PA.
Kerr did have some positive words to say about the Steelers heading into 2023.
"Kenny Pickett should improve with the Pittsburgh Steelers in year two, as the franchise never has losing seasons and always competes for playoff berths with Mike Tomlin."
Will The Steelers Be Able To Come Out On Top Of The AFC North?
Many Steelers fans have high hopes for what lies ahead for them in 2023 and some even think they have a shot to reclaim the AFC North for the first time since the 2020-21 season. The likelihood that they can claim the division in 2023 is slim, simply due to the talent around the division. The Bengals will likely be the team to beat yet again, and it is unlikely the Steelers can keep pace with them for the entire 17-game season.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) making the game-winning throw to wide receiver George Pickens in the 4th quarter of the Christmas Eve matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
One thing is for certain though, when Mike Tomlin is at the helm you can never count the team out. A division title is unlikely, but anything less than a playoff berth would be a disappointment. The Steelers have done a good job at filling multiple holes on both sides of the line of scrimmage this offseason and considering how strongly Pickett and the young playmakers finished last season, you can't help but get excited about the possibility of postseason football in Pittsburgh once again.
Do you agree that the AFC North will be the third toughest division in the NFL in 2023? If not, where would you put them in your rankings? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
#SteelerNation
