Steelers 2023 Game by Game Predictions

There’s lots of excitement surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming season, with the young talent on their team and great offseason moves the Steelers are poised to take the next step and become a playoff team. Here is my perfect game-by-game prediction for this upcoming season.

Game 1 Steelers vs Niners 

(0-0)

Steelers kick off the season by playing one of the best rosters in the NFL, the San Francisco 49ers, the Niners do have some quarterback questions, but it looks like it’ll either be Trey Lance, Sam Darnold or likely starter Brock Purdy going into week 1. That could be a plus for the Steelers but as we’ve seen from Kyle Shanahan he can make any QB look good.

The Niners’ defense will expect to have a fun day against the young Steelers offense so I predict a 20-17, close, low-scoring 49ers victory in week 1. Starting the season off 0-1.

Game 2 Steelers vs. Browns

(0-1)

The second game for the Steelers is at home vs the Browns. The Browns should show some improvement in the second year with Deshaun Watson, they could be a dark horse playoff team if things fall their way.

For the Steelers this game, at home, coming off a loss in week one, I think Pittsburgh gets it done. I see a better game from Pickett and Najee to have more space to run and a Pittsburgh win 27-17

Game 3 Steelers @ Raiders

(1-1)

Next, the Steelers fly to Vegas to play the Raiders. This season might be a rough one for the Raiders, who knows who the quarterback will be for them? Jimmy G might not be healthy although things are looking up for his injury, if it’s not him we’re looking at Brian Hoyer or rookie out of Purdue Aidan O’Connell.

The Steelers always do seem to struggle with the Raiders, no matter who’s on the roster. With saying that, I still believe the Steelers are the far more talented and well-coached team. I see Pittsburgh picking up another win, at a score of 21-10.

Game 4 Steelers @ Texans

(2-1)

The Texans have a lot to look forward to, new franchise rookie quarterback CJ Stroud, elite pass rusher Will Anderson Jr and a new hire at head coach, which I love in DeMeco Ryans. It’s going to be a learning process at the beginning for them this season still.

The Steelers, at this point, would be riding high off of a couple of wins and looking at a great opportunity to go 3-1. This Texans team still has lots of holes, and I think Pittsburgh’s defense will bring their A-game to Houston. It could be another close game but another Steeler win 23-20.

Game 5 Steelers vs. Ravens

(3-1)

After a relatively easy first few weeks for Pittsburgh, here’s where the real season begins, the first game against their biggest rival, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Ravens look dangerous this year.

Resigning Lamar, and getting him some weapons, the big one being Odell Beckham Jr, if Odell is back to before the injury Baltimore is going to be dangerous, especially with a healthy JK Dobbins, and the defense will still be a threat.

Pittsburgh typically does well against Baltimore even when Lamar is healthy but Pickett and the offense tends to struggle in games like this. I have the Ravens taking another close AFC North defensive struggle 19-13.

Game 6 Steelers @ Rams

(3-2)

At this point the Steelers are 3-2 and going to LA to face the 2022 Super Bowl champion Rams.

This game is a tough one to call and it mostly comes down to the health of Matthew Stafford, it looks like he’ll be ready to play to start the season, but are the injuries stacking up to the point where he’s not what he used to be? That’s the big question but if he’s healthy the Rams are a sneaky good team but the loss of Jalen Ramsey is going to definitely hurt the secondary.

The Rams will be tough but Kenny Pickett and the offense should have a bounce-back game and push them to 4-2, beating the Rams 24-20.

 

Game 7 Steelers vs. Jaguars

(4-2)

This game against the Jaguars will be a huge test for Pittsburgh’s young corners Joey Porter Jr and Cory Trice. The passing attack in Jacksonville with Lawrence, Kirk and co., has a chance to be elite this season.

This has the making of a shootout, Pickett and the young offense could be breaking off some early-season rust by now and while the Jags are improved, the defense isn’t elite.

I’m expecting both young QBs to have great days but Lawrence might be too much for Pickett in this duel, give me the Jaguars 34-27 over the Steelers, putting Pittsburgh at 4-3 on the season. 

Game 8 Steelers vs Titans

(4-3)

Next game on the schedule for Pittsburgh is against the Titans. The Titans have one huge wild card on their team for next year, and his name is Will Levis, the biggest draft night slide, as people said he could be a top 10 pick and he falls to the second round to Tennessee.

Ryan Tannehill will likely get the nod to start the season but by this point, who knows, it could be Levis by week 9. For the sake of predictions, let’s put Tannehill under center for Tennessee, it might not matter because they’ll end up giving the ball to Derrick Henry 30 times this game, but with the Steelers’ hopefully improved run D, Pittsburgh should be ready for Henry and the Titans offense.

I don’t love Tennessee’s defense; I can see Pittsburgh having some success offensively, although It’s two teams who play ground-and-pound football, so I expect a pretty low-scoring affair for both teams; I like Pittsburgh to escape in a close one 17-13, moving to 5-3 on the season.

Game 9 Steelers vs Packers

(5-3)

This is an interesting game, I’m not entirely sure what to think about the Packers this season. I’m in the minority where I think Jordan Love can be a very good quarterback from the little I’ve seen of him.

They’re also as a team, quite talented but for some reason I think they’ll end up hovering around .500. The Packers’ defense is quality and they have decent young weapons on offense with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and a rookie WR out of Michigan State Jayden Reed who I really like, but Green Bay is a year or two away from competing in my eyes.

This game I think it’s a toss-up, in which I’ll give it to Pittsburgh. The main reason is the game being at Acrisure Stadium and not Lambeau. It’s surely going to be a wire-to-wire game where the Packers could steal a win but let’s give it to Pittsburgh, 23-21 with a Boswell game-winning field goal.

Game 10 Steelers @ Browns

(6-3)

Game number two against Cleveland this year, say what you want about Pittsburgh’s dominance over the Browns in the last 20 years; in the last few, the Browns have been able to get a couple from the Steelers.

This year, it’s one of the more talented teams Cleveland has had, with good players on both sides of the ball and maybe the best quarterback they’ve had recently in Deshaun Watson. The AFC North continues to be amongst the toughest in the NFL, this game will, of course, be no different.

Chubb and Amari Cooper always seem to turn it up against the Steelers and after Pittsburgh wins week 2 I think the first thing on the Browns’ mind will be “Let’s not get swept,” and that makes me think Cleveland will bring it, and get a win. Myles Garrett and company will make it tough for Pickett and the Browns to defend home turf and beat Pittsburgh 28-17.

Game 11 Steelers @ Bengals

(6-4)

The biggest game of the year for the Steelers is this one, in Cincinnati, against the Bengals. Steelers could be fighting for a wild card spot at this point while the Bengals will likely be top of the division.

That doesn’t bode well for Pittsburgh, but Pickett had one of the best games of his rookie season against the Bengals last year, putting up 30 points in a 37-30 loss.

So he can play well against this team, but Joe Burrow likes playing against the Pittsburgh defense always putting up points, Cincinnati’s offense is gonna be too much for the young secondary and I see a pretty lopsided 34-20 Bengal win.

Game 12 Steelers vs. Cardinals

(6-5)

Week 13 is a home game vs. the chaos that is the Arizona Cardinals. At this point in the season, it’s relatively safe to assume that Kyler Murray is back under center for the Cardinals, which does pose more of a challenge than the alternative, but outside of Murray, who I think is a good player, there’s not a whole lot.

I love James Conner for what he did in Pittsburgh, but the Cardinals just don’t have a great roster, and I think they’ll be in contention for the number 1 pick and could be in tank mode at this point of the season.

This can be a get-right game for Pittsburgh to get back into the playoff picture after a couple of losses and I think that’s what will happen. I just don’t see a rookie head coach with this roster beat Mike Tomlin, in Pittsburgh during a playoff hunt. Make it 27-13 Steelers in an easy home win.

Game 13 Steelers vs. Patriots

(7-5)

At this point I have the Steelers at 7-5 and playing Bill Belichick and the Patriots, so you know this game is going to be.. boring, but I love these types of games.

It’s a JuJu revenge game as well, the former Steeler is one of a few good signings the Pats made this offseason, but I don’t think it’s bringing many more wins to New England.

This looks to be a dull, run-the-ball game for both sides especially in a December game in Pittsburgh. In the end, I think the Steelers have a little more offensive firepower than the Patriots, and Pittsburgh gets revenge from last season’s bad loss and beat New England 16-13, hopefully, this one gets flexed out of prime time, so NFL fans don’t have to watch these teams punt more than an Iowa vs. Wisconsin Big Ten game.

Game 14 Steelers @ Colts

(8-5)

After 13 games, I have the Steelers at 8-5 going to play rookie top 5 pick Anthony Richardson, one of the biggest boom or bust prospects in this year’s draft with his incredible athletic ability and arm strength; I’m looking forward to watching this game to see what he’s made of.

If Richardson’s a hit then the Colts will be a very dangerous team and compete for a playoff spot, but I think he’s a little too raw to have instant success; it’ll take him a year or two.

In this game, in particular, I think the Steelers get another win, Pickett played well in Indy last year, and it could be more of the same here; after this win, it could propel Pittsburgh into a playoff spot. I have the Steelers taking this one 28-20.

Game 15 Steelers vs. Bengals

(9-5)

Another game against the rival Bengals and this would be a huge one, there’s just not a whole lot of ways I can see that the Steelers can come away with victories against Cincinnati.

They needed to force multiple turnovers and have McPherson miss multiple kicks just to beat them in overtime last year; that sort of chaos won’t happen again for the Bengals as I see them beating Pittsburgh once again, 28-17.

Game 16 Steelers @ Seahawks

(9-6)

Coming off of a tough loss and going across the country isn’t ideal here for Pittsburgh in a playoff push, especially against a tough team like Seattle. Geno Smith is back under center for the Seahawks, hoping to improve on his breakout year last year. No matter how the Seahawks are doing, going to Seattle will always be a tough game in front of the 12th man; it’s a game I don’t think Pittsburgh will come out with a win.

I see a close game, like most Steelers games at this point, but for some reason, I envision the Seahawks getting the best of them here. Geno Smith has a big game with the deep ball, and Seattle wins 27-23.

Game 17 Steelers @ Ravens

(9-7)

If my predictions are 100% right, then this game would likely be for a playoff spot. While the Ravens are a very good, probable playoff team who could have a spot locked up by now, they’re not going to make it easy for Pittsburgh.

With a playoff spot on the line, I tend to think Coach Tomlin gets it done more often than not. Pickett has shown he has the guts to come up clutch in big spots in the 4th quarter and make things happen, and he would have to do that here as well.

I have faith in the young quarterback to get it done in another low-scoring, tough, cold AFC North matchup. I have a Steeler win, 20-17, and a 10-7 final record for the black and gold.