‘Winning confetti game’ is goal for Steelers
Mike Tomlin still hasn’t endured a losing season in Pittsburgh.
As much as the longtime Steelers coach appreciates the way his team rallied down the stretch last season to end up with a 9-8 record, he couldn’t care less that his record streak – the most consecutive seasons of finishing .500 or better to start a head coaching career in NFL history – remains intact.
“My agenda is getting in the single-elimination tournament, pursuing the confetti game and winning it,” Tomlin said.
The Steelers found themselves in the mix for the playoffs until the final weekend of a wildly uneven season last year thanks to the steady progress of rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett and the return of all-everything linebacker T.J. Watt, who missed seven games after tearing his left pectoral in the season opener.
With Pickett now having one regular season and another training camp of experience, and having Watt healthy, the Steelers have lofty goals in the highly competitive AFC North.
The mistakes that piled up during Pickett’s bumpy opening month on the job vanished as December bled into January. Pickett threw just one interception over his final eight appearances, an encouraging sign for the Steelers in a division that includes quarterbacks Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and DeShaun Watson.
“I felt like I made a good jump there in the learning curve, and I want to make that leap into Year 2,” Pickett said.
If Pittsburgh wants to get considerably closer to the “confetti game” in 2023, Pickett and the offense will have to put up more points. The Steelers averaged only 18.1 points per game, 26th in the NFL and the franchise’s worst performance – save for 2019, when former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was lost at halftime of Week 2 with a right elbow injury – since 1998.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson set a weird record in 2022. He had 86 receptions and no touchdowns. That’s the most receptions without a touchdown over a season in NFL history. Johnson had 15 touchdowns in the two previous seasons, and he was still a productive receiver.
Johnson should find the end zone this year, as should the rest of the Steelers’ pass-catching group. George Pickens was a highlight maker as a rookie and Pat Freiermuth is on track to be one of the NFL’s best tight ends.
Running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren lead a solid running game that will play behind an improving offensive line.
After leading the NFL in sacks for a league-record five consecutive seasons, the Steelers’ defense managed only 40 in 2022, which was about 14 below their recent average. With Watt healthy again that number should increase, but keeping the linebacker healthy has been a problem in recent seasons.
Pittsburgh was 13th in total defense last season and tied for the league lead with 20 interceptions. The defense should be solid again and has Pro Bowl-caliber players at all three levels, including lineman Cam Heyward and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
“I think our defense can be very good,” said Heyward, a three-time All-Pro. “But it’s the team that needs to be very good. It’s a group effort. Guys have to grow. Having the more experienced guys on defense, we do need to lead.”
The Steelers had a productive offseason. Guard Isaac Seumalo, added from Philadelphia, will help a rapidly improving offensive line.
Adding linebackers Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, along with defensive backs Patrick Peterson and Keanu Neal, should be an upgrade over Devin Bush, Robert Spillane, Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds. The Steelers countered every loss with a comparable addition.
Then the draft was a hit. Offensive tackle Broderick Jones in the first round and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. in the second fill major needs. Fellow second-rounder Keeanu Benton will help the defensive line and third-rounder Darnell Washington is a massive tight end and intriguing prospect.
The Steelers finished last season strong and then had a very good offseason.
“We better be a good football team,” Tomlin said. “When you look at our division, the other teams have outstanding quarterback play and outstanding commitments to those quarterbacks. We’re in a different place, we have a young quarterback who is emerging, so we better level the playing field by being good around him.”