(Photo Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Benny Snell, WR Chase Claypool, WR/PR Diontae Johnson, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR James Washington, TE Eric Ebron, OG David DeCastro, DE Tyson Alualu,DE Cameron Heyward, DE Stephon Tuitt, LB Marcus Allen, LB Devin Bush, LB Robert Spillane, LB T.J. Watt, LB Vince Williams, CB Joe Haden, CB Steven Nelson, NB Cameron Sutton, FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, SS Terrell Edmunds, KR/PR Ray-Ray McCloud, PK Chris Boswell, and PT Jordan Berry.
Key Players Departing:
RB James Conner (Cardinals), OC Maurkice Pouncey (retired), OT Matt Feiler (Chargers), OT Alejandro Villanueva (Ravens), LB Bud Dupree (Titans), LB Avery Williamson (UFA), and CB Mike Hilton (Bengals).
Key Players Added:
OC B.J. Finney (Bengals), OT Joe Haeg (Buccaneers), and SS Miles Killebrew (Lions).
Draft Picks:
Round 1: Pick 024 – RB Najee Harris (Alabama)
Round 2: Pick 055 – TE Pat Freiermuth (Penn State)
Round 3: Pick 087 – OG Kendrick Green (Illinois)
Round 4: Pick 128 – OT Dan Moore (Texas A&M)
Round 4: Pick 140 – LB Buddy Johnson (Texas A&M)
Round 5: Pick 156 – DT Isaiahh Loudermilk (Wisconsin)
Round 6: Pick 216 – LB Quincy Roche (Miami, FL)
Round 7: Pick 245 – CB Tre Norwood (Oklahoma)
Round 7: Pick 254 – PT Pressley Harvin (Georgia Tech)
2020 Results:
W01 at New York Giants W 26-16
W02 DENVER BRONCOS W 26-21
W03 HOUSTON TEXANS W 28-21
W05 PHILADELPHINA EAGLES W 38-29
W06 CLEVELAND BROWNS W 38-7
W07 at Tennessee Titans W 27-24
W08 at Baltimore Ravens W 28-24
W09 at Dallas Cowboys W 24-19
W10 CINCINNATI BENGALS W 36-10
W11 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 27-3
W12 BALTIMORE RAVENS W 19-14
W13 WASHINGTON FT L 17-23
W14 at Buffalo Bills L 15-26
W15 at Cincinnati Bengals L 17-27
W16 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS W 28-24
W17 at Cleveland Browns L 22-24
WC CLEVELAND BROWNS L 37-48
Team Info:
2020 Overall 12-4 (1st in AFC North)
Home: 7-1
Away: 5-3
North: 4-2
AFC: 9-3
NFC: 3-1
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin
Pittsburgh: 145-79-1
Career: 151-84-1
Playoffs: 8-8
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Ben Roethlisberger (399-608, 3803 yards, 65.6%, 6.3 avg., 33 TD, 13 Int.)
Rushing: Benny Snell (111 car., 368 yards, 3.3 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: JuJu Smith-Schuster (97 rec., 831 yards, 8.6 avg., 9 TD)
Yards After Catch: JuJu Smith-Schuster (405)
TD’s Scored: Chase Claypool (11)
Sacks: T.J. Watt (15)
Tackles: Minkah Fitzpatrick (79)
Interceptions: Minkah Fitzpatrick (4)
Pass Deflections: Joe Haden (12)
Tackles For Loss: T.J. Watt (26)
Forced Fumbles: Cameron Sutton (3)
Kick Returns: Ray-Ray McCloud (28 ret., 646 yards, 23.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Ray-Ray McCloud (29 ret., 298 yards, 10.3 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Chris Boswell (19-20 fg/fga., 95%, 34-38 xp/xpa., 91 pts.)
Punting: Jordan Berry (57 punts, 2609 yards, 45.8 avg., 23 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Ben Roethlisberger
RB: 22 Najee Harris |R|
WR: 19 JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR: 11 Chase Claypool
WR: 18 Diontae Johnson
TE: 85 Eric Ebron
LT: 76 Chukwuma Okorafor
LG: 69 Kevin Dotson
OC: 60 J.C. Hassenauer
RG: 66 David DeCastro
RT: 72 Zach Banner
KR: 14 Ray-Ray McCloud
PK: 9 Chris Boswell
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 97 Cameron Heyward
NT: 96 Isaiah Buggs
DE: 91 Stephon Tuitt
LB: 90 T.J. Watt
LB: 55 Devin Bush
LB: 27 Marcus Allen
LB: 56 Alex Highsmith
CB: 23 Joe Haden
CB: 31 Justin Layne
FS: 39 Minkah Fitzpatrick
SS: 34 Terrell Edmunds
PR: 14 Ray-Ray McCloud
PT: 8 Corliss Waltman
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/12 at Buffalo Bills | Pittsburgh leads the series 16-11. The Steelers lost (15-26) last season’s meeting between teams, and their last series win (27-20) was in 2016.
09/19 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Pittsburgh trails the series 13-16. The Steelers lost (21-24) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (38-35) was in 2015.
09/26 CINCINNATI BENGALS | Pittsburgh leads the series 67-346. The Steelers are 17-4 since 2011, and their last series home loss (10-16) was in 2015.
10/03 at Green Bay Packers | Pittsburgh leads the series 10-5. The Steelers won (31-28) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
10/10 DENVER BRONCOS | Pittsburgh trails the series 12-20-1. The Steelers are 2-3 since 2011, and their lasts series loss (16-23) was in 2015.
10/17 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Pittsburgh trails the series 9-10. The Steelers lost (26-28) the last meeting between team in 2019.
10/31 at Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh leads the series 69-37-1. The Steelers 15-5-1 since 2011, and their last series road win (21-18) was in 2017.
11/08 CHICAGO BEARS | Pittsburgh trails the series 6-8. The Steelers lost (17-23) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
11/14 DETROIT LIONS | Pittsburgh leads the series 13-2. The Steelers won (20-15) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
11/21 at Los Angeles Chargers | Pittsburgh leads the series 24-10. The Steelers won (24-17) the last meeting between teams in 2019, and their last series loss (30-33) was in 2018.
11/28 at Cincinnati Bengals | The Steelers last series road win (16-10) was in 2019.
12/05 BALTIMORE RAVENS | Pittsburgh leads the series 30-24. The Steelers are 9-11 since 2011, and their last series home loss (23-26) was in 2019.
12/09 at Minnesota Vikings | The series is tied 8-8. The Steelers won (26-9) the last meeting between teams in 2017.
12/19 TENNESSEE TITANS | Pittsburgh leads the series 47-32. The Steelers are 4-2 since 2011, and their last series loss (9-16) was in 2013.
12/26 at Kansas City Chiefs | Pittsburgh leads the series 23-12. The Steelers lost (37-42) the last meeting between teams in 2018, and their last series win (19-13) was in 2017.
01/03 CLEVELAND BROWNS | and their last series regular season home loss (13-33) was in 2003.
01/09 at Baltimore Ravens | The Steelers last series road loss (10-28) was in 2019.
Prediction:
Home: 7-2
Away: 3-5
DIV: 3-3
AFC: 7-5
NFC: 3-2
Overall: 10-7 (3rd in AFC North)
UFA: Unrestricted Free Agent
Series Histories: Histories are from the inception of the first Super Bowl season through present day. Meetings prior to 1966 are not included. Playoff wins are included in the year the season took place. For example, if a team won a wildcard game in January of 2016, the game will be listed under the 2015 season.
gridironpredictions.net 