An Updated Look at the 2022-2023 Pittsburgh Steelers

The 2022 NFL season is officially underway with year-opening video games concluded and in Pittsburgh a new era has begun. With Ben Roethlisberger in whole retirement, the Mitch Trubisky-led offense is in full swing.

Getting won the setting up quarterback task beating out rookie Kenny Pickett and previous year’s backup, Mason Rudolph, Trubisky who was after a starter in Chicago is a starter once more though sporting the Black and Gold colors.

Pittsburgh opened the season in Cincinnati and have been underdogs to the defending AFC winner Bengals. By profitable in overtime in what turned out to be a topsy-turvy activity that resembled a heavyweight boxing match, the very last good punch that landed gained the battle. Skipped PATs and discipline aims by both equally teams led the game into an further body the place Chris Boswell ultimately managed to nail a recreation-winning field aim as time in the additional time time period was running out.

Whilst Steelers enthusiasts had been hoping to see a “new look” offense from Trubisky and his device, it was Pittsburgh’s defense that stole the show. Storming out of the locker home, T.J. Watt and business looked like a playoff-ready unit as they dominated Joe Burrow and his offense almost from start out to end. Regretably, Watt received hurt in the recreation and his position is up in the air but it seems he will be out for at the very least a couple months.

Even now, it was not just Watt that shined. A person of my favorite acquisitions in the off-season was that of previous Jacksonville Jaguar Myles Jack. I believe he is heading to be a significant element on protection and in 7 days a person he proved me suitable. Jack was second on the crew in tackles with 10 which include six solo takedowns. Jack also defended a single pass and experienced a single deal with for a reduction.

Minkah Fitzpatrick obtained the Steelers on the board early with a choose-6 and then concluded the sport with 14 tackles to guide the staff 10 of these on his personal. But all round, the defense was superb. The mighty ‘D reached Joe Burrow in the backfield 7 periods forcing the Bengals’ QB into throwing 4 interceptions and fumbling two times dropping just one of people free balls.

Credit history to Joe Burrow for receiving his workforce again into the game in the next 50 percent and acquiring the sport won with just two seconds left in regulation when he hit Ja’Marr chase with a touchdown pass that tied the match at 20 and all it would get was an Evan McPherson PAT but the attempt was blocked. That sent the game into extra time.

Cincinnati experienced a probability to win the sport in OT but the normally responsible McPherson unbelievably missed a 29-lawn chip shot. The Steelers would get that similar chance with just 2:27 remaining in the additional time time period and Boswell who also is a clutch kicker just hardly skipped the match-winner as his 55-garden try strike the upright on the discipline goal submit.

After the Steelers protection held the Bengals in check out, Trubisky who was not having an spectacular debut outing for Pittsburgh last but not least put an amazing reliable travel together and drove the Steelers’ offense downfield starting off at his own 20 and ending on Cincinnati’s 35-yard line exactly where Boswell nailed a 53-garden activity-winner to stun the Bengals.

With the Baltimore Ravens and Bengals favored finishing 1-2 in the AFC North, following one match the Steelers are sharing the prime place with Baltimore and the Cleveland Browns equally victories in their respective time openers. Next up for Pittsburgh are the New England Patriots who will not current the caliber of workforce Pittsburgh has experienced to experience in earlier conferences with the Pats who fundamentally have owned the Steelers.

As for Trubisky, with 16 game titles still left in the standard season, the dilemma now is how extensive can he keep on being a starter? In Cincinnati, the previous Bear and Expenditures quarterback threw 38 passes and finished just 21 for only 194 yards though his QB score was a disappointing 78.2. On the beneficial side, Trubisky did not toss an interception and was sacked just at the time. The offensive line was the largest concern on offense heading into the time but that device held up instead well better than predicted. Even so, Pittsburgh’s managing Should strengthen if they prepare on achieving the article-season or successful more game titles. In the year opener, it was Chase Claypool who had the most hurrying yards with 36 when starter Nmajee Harris was nursing a bum foot and could only regulate 23 yards on 10 carries.

Kenny Pickett will wait around patiently in the wings but think me, if Trubisky does not get started padding his stats, Steelers Nation will start contacting for the rookie to develop into the starter. There is no question that a single working day the former University of Pittsburgh Panthers’ quarterback will be the up coming franchise quarterback as extended as he can exhibit that the potential is there to turn out to be a complete-time starter. One particular dilemma is that Mike Tomlin named Trubisky as a group captain so it would be difficult to explain to a captain he has to journey the bench.

The base line below is that the Steelers aren’t likely to be pushovers and they look to be coming into the 2022 time with a chip on their shoulder and some really serious frame of mind. They should really rival all 3 other groups in the division and as it has been the norm for years, force their opponents to the restrict.