2019 NFL Team Preview - PITTSBURGH STEELERS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS                                       

2018 Record - 9-6-1


Head Coach - Mike Tomlin


Newcomers for 2019 - Donte Moncrief (WR), Mark Barron (LB), Steven Nelson (CB)


Keys on Offense - Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger put up eye popping numbers a year ago, passing for 5,129 yards with 34 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He will be without two stalwarts in past years for the Steelers offense as running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown have moved on to different teams.
JuJu Smith-Schuster led the Steelers in 2018 with 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. Donte Moncrief (48, 668, three TD with Jacksonville) will team with Smith-Schuster and Vance McDonald (50, 610, four TD) is the tight end. James Washington and rookie Diontae Johnson (Toledo) will add depth to the receiving corps.
James Connor, who rushed for 973 yards (4.5 ypc average) and twelve scores and also had 55 receptions for 497 yards and a touchdown, stepped right in place for Bell (holdout for all of 2018 season) and will be looking to improve on those stats this season.


Keys on Defense - After finishing sixth overall last season (327.2 ypg allowed) in total defense, the Steelers will add top rookie draft pick Devin Bush (Michigan) at linebacker, along with outside backer T.J. Watt, who led the team with 13 QB sacks last season. Up front is Cameron Hayward (eight sacks), Javon Hargrave (6 1/2 sacks) and Stephon Tuitt (5 1/2 sacks).
The secondary has Steven Nelson (four interceptions with Kansas City) in tow this season at cornerback along with Joe Haden, who had two picks a year ago. The Steelers had 52 sacks (tied for first in NFL) last season, but only eight interceptions and ranked 16th in scoring defense, giving up 22.5 points per game.


OUTLOOK FOR 2019 - After a lackluster 2-4 finish in 2018, which included losses to Denver and Oakland, the Steelers are looking to get back to the playoffs after missing them for the first time since 2013. Head Coach Mike Tomlin just received a contract extension, so for now he appears to be off the proverbial "hot seat" as the season approaches.
The key to everything is a healthy Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback and the "new" guys filling in the voids on offense. Losing Brown at wide receiver was big, but if the Steelers can maintain consistency on the offense, where they ranked fourth overall in 2018 (403.3 ypg) and sixth in scoring (26.8 points per game, they will definitely be in the mix in the AFC North, where anything is possible this season.
The defense is solid in the front seven and the secondary was decent a year ago, but more turnovers would be a plus as the Steelers were a minus-11 in that category. The schedule appears very tough, especially the first six games, but the Steelers have a good mix of veterans and young players to cope with the rigors of another NFL season. Two games in three weeks against the (on paper) revamped Cleveland Browns will likely go a long way in determining the winner of the AFC North this year.
The Steelers should finish 11-5 this season, which should be enough to capture the division title and get them back to the playoffs. How far they can go from there will depend on the defense and Big Ben and company's performances.


TEAM SCHEDULE
Week 1 - at New England
Week 2 - vs. Seattle
Week 3 - at San Francisco
Week 4 - vs. Cincinnati
Week 5 - vs. Baltimore
Week 6 - at LA Chargers
Week 7 - BYE
Week 8 - vs. Miami
Week 9 - vs. Indianapolis
Week 10 - vs. LA Rams
Week 11 - at Cleveland
Week 12 - at Cincinnati
Week 13 - vs. Cleveland
Week 14 - at Arizona
Week 15 - vs. Buffalo
Week 16 - at NY Jets
Week 17 - at Baltimore