PITTSBURGH STEELERS
2020 Record - 12-4-0
Head Coach - Mike Tomlin
Key Additions - Joe Haeg (OL), Kalen Ballage (RB), Rashaad Coward (OL), B.J. Finney (OL)
OFFENSE - Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger enters his 18th NFL season and last year he had 3,803 passing yards with 33 touchdowns and ten interceptions. The backup is Mason Rudolph. The Steelers will have a rookie running back this season as Najee Harris (Alabama) was the teams top draft pick. Benny Snell, Jr. rushed for 368 yards in 2020 with four touchdowns while averaging 3.3 yards per carry. Third down back Kalen Ballage comes over from the Chargers this season as well.
The wide receiving corps has JuJu Smith-Schuster (97 receptions, 831 yards and nine touchdowns) as the top target. Diontae Johnson had 88 receptions for 973 yards and seven touchdowns while Chase Claypool made 62 catches for 873 yards and nine touchdowns. James Washington (30, 392, five TD) is another wideout in the passing attack. Tight end Eric Ebron caught 56 passes for 558 yards and five scores. Rookie TE Pat Freiermuth (Penn State) will be another option.
The Steelers passing game was 15th last year, averaging 250 yards per game, but the rushing game was the worst in pro football, averaging only 84 YPG. The total offense finished 24th in the league, averaging 334 yards per game while scoring 26 points per game.
DEFENSE - Stephon Tuitt (eleven QB sacks), Cameron Heyward and Tyson Alualu lead the front line while linebackers T.J. Watt (15 sacks), Alex Highsmith, Devin Bush and Robert Spillane complete the front seven for the NFL's third ranked defense from the 2020 season. Other players adding depth this season include Chris Wormley, Isaiah Buggs and rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk (Wisconsin) up front along with reserve linebackers Vince Williams, Cassius Marsh and rookies Buddy Johnson (Texas A & M) and Quincy Roche (Miami, FL).
The secondary has Minkah Fitzpatrick (four interceptions) and Terrell Edmunds at the safety spots while Joe Haden and Cameron Sutton play the corner positions. James Pierre, Justin Layne, Miles Killebrew and Antoine Brooks, Jr. round out the secondary, which tied for the league lead with 18 interceptions last season. Pittsburgh also led the NFL with 56 QB sacks while allowing 19.5 points per game. The Steelers allowed 306 YPG in total defense. The run defense gave up 111 YPG (tenth in NFL) while the pass defense ranked third overall, allowing 195 yards per game.
2021 SEASON OUTLOOK - The Steelers ran out of gas in a real hurry last year after an 11-0 start by going 1-4 down the stretch and then losing by double digits (at home) in the wild card round of the AFC playoffs to the Cleveland Browns.
Ouch !
However, those folks who are counting out the Steelers for the 2021 season will do so at their own peril. The defense is still among the top units in all of pro football and adding a solid young running back (Najee Harris) in place of injury prone James Conner (now with the Arizona Cardinals) should provide a spark to the running game to help balance out the offense. "Big Ben" cannot do it all by himself and he's not getting any younger.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin is entering his 15th season in Pittsburgh and he has seen this play out before whenever the team finished on a low note the previous season. He and his coaching staff know how to rebound and get the team to where it wants to go, so don't sleep on the Steelers just yet. The defense is very strong and the secondary takes a "hands off" approach regarding opposing passing attacks. If Roethlisberger can stay healthy this year and the running game shows improvement, Pittsburgh will be in most games because their defense helps make it happen on the other side of the football.
Playing against the Ravens and Browns and the improving Bengals in the rugged AFC North division is a challenge indeed, but the Steelers will likely handle it once again. The schedule is a tough one, but a 12-5 finish is not out of the question, barring any significant injuries to key players. That could win the Steelers another AFC North title, but success in the playoffs is the real goal.
Stay tuned.
2021 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - at Buffalo
Week 2 - vs. Las Vegas
Week 3 - vs. Cincinnati
Week 4 - at Green Bay
Week 5 - vs. Denver
Week 6 - vs. Seattle
Week 7 - BYE
Week 8 - at Cleveland
Week 9 - vs. Chicago
Week 10 - vs. Detroit
Week 11 - at L.A. Chargers
Week 12 - at Cincinnati
Week 13 - vs. Baltimore
Week 14 - at Minnesota
Week 15 - vs. Tennessee
Week 16 - at Kansas City
Week 17 - vs. Cleveland
Week 18 - at Baltimore
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