Steelers blessed with favorable 2023 strength of schedule
It's been three years since the Steelers last wore the AFC North crown. Getting out on top of the AFC North is always a tall task, but it's the easiest path to the NFL playoffs, even with three wild card teams. Returning to the postseason is the expectation for Steelers this year. The roster has been […]
It's been three years since the Steelers last wore the AFC North crown. Getting out on top of the AFC North is always a tall task, but it's the easiest path to the NFL playoffs, even with three wild card teams.
Returning to the postseason is the expectation for Steelers this year. The roster has been fortified in crucial areas, Kenny Pickett now has a full year in the offensive system, and Mike Tomlin has yet to produce a losing season as head coach.
That trend isn't expected to break in 2023, as the Steelers' strength of schedule is also in their favor.
By using Vegas odds, Sharp Football Analysis has determined the Steelers' schedule to be the 11th-easiest in the NFL this season, which is also the most favorable out of all AFC North teams. The only team with a projected easier slate of games who made the playoffs last year are the San Francisco 49ers, who check in with the 10th-easiest SoS.
Pittsburgh's current over/under win total is right at 8.5, and their schedule indicates it's slightly more likely than not they eclipse that projection, indicating another winning season for Tomlin's team.
In playing a third-place schedule, the Steelers will face the likes of the Las Vegas Raiders, Green Bay Packers, and New England Patriots. A team's schedule is largely carried by its own division and the divisions they were pre-determined to face based on the yearly rotation. But an always competitive AFC North isn't enough to counter out a weak AFC South and a middling NFC West on the docket.
Including two of their divisional opponents (Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens), the Steelers will face just five 2022 playoff teams. They'll see the first one right out the gate when they host the 49ers in Week 1.
When observed properly, SoS can be indicative of how successful a team can actually be, and the Steelers are set up better than most in 2023.
