The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the NFL’s flagship franchises since the 1970s, and one of the most consistent teams in the league the last 14 seasons.
That’s not a randomly selected sample size; it’s the amount of time Mike Tomlin has spent at the helm of the Steelers, as he is going into his 15th campaign in the Steel City.
#LIVE: Coach Tomlin addresses the media following our win over the Eagles. https://t.co/Fet1Me4zcf
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 13, 2021
Pittsburgh has been in the mix for a postseason berth each and every season of Tomlin’s tenure.
They have finished at .500 or better every season, and have not had a losing regular season record since 2003.
However, due to the sheer math involved with the NFL adding a 17th game, the Steelers will need to win at least nine games to keep that awfully impressive streak alive.
While their track record would indicate they should be able to do it, there are a few reasons to believe that the run of plus-.500 seasons may come to an end this year.
A Revamped Offensive Line
2021 will have a much different feeling in the trenches for the Steelers than they’ve had in years past.
Pittsburgh could usually rely on a cohesive, battle-tested unit to fortify the line of scrimmage, but that assumption can no longer be made heading into this season.
Center Maurkice Pouncey, who spent 11 seasons with the team, retired this offseason.
He made nine Pro Bowls, and was named an All-Pro twice.
His absence will be massive, but J.C. Hassenauer and Kendrick Green will try to fill it.
The team also released two time All-Pro guard David DeCastro in June, and did not re-sign durable tackle Alejandro Villanueva.
To make matters worse for Pittsburgh, Villaneuva signed with the Baltimore Ravens.
We’ll see how quickly the new unit can come together, but it might be a rebuilding year up front.
A Quarterback Who Might Be Running On Empty
Ben Roethlisberger has had a fantastic 17-year career with the Steelers, and appears like a pretty solid lock to end up in Canton one day.
There’s no doubt that even at age 39, Big Ben gives Pittsburgh its best chance to win, over younger reserves like Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins.
Pittsburgh’s improvement on offense from 2019 (where Roethlisberger missed 14 games) to 2020 (where he played in all games except the final one where he was rested) was stark.
Even still, it’s unlikely Roethlisberger will deliver an elite season under center at his advanced age, and a shaky offensive line in front of him will not make life easier for a guy who’s not going to take off from the pocket.
He threw four interceptions in the playoffs against the Cleveland Browns, and had very shaky games down the stretch last year against the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
An Improved Division
For the better part of the last decade, the Steelers were able to feast on a division that always seemed to be a cut below others in the NFL.
The Ravens have been nearly as consistent as the Steelers with regards to contention in the last 15 years, and will remain a very viable threat in the division and the conference in 2021.
However, the Bengals and Browns are no longer the automatic W’s that they’ve been in seasons past.
Cleveland is coming off of their most successful campaign since 1994, and will be a threat to Pittsburgh in their quest for a winning season.
Right to him 💪@_jlayne | Watch #PITvsPHI on NFL Game Pass: https://t.co/ZXSzM8uXYI pic.twitter.com/18L8dLy9NI
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 13, 2021
The Bengals are probably not playoff contenders in 2021, but feature a plethora of offensive talent on paper, and figure to make games interesting.
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