The Pittsburgh Steelers had a rocky start last season, going 2-6 despite an overtime win against the Cincinnati Bengals in their opener. However, they turned things around with a 7-2 record after their bye week in early November.
The question is, was this turnaround due to a softer part of the schedule or did the Steelers genuinely improve? We’ll explore this while considering the Steelers’ odds to win the Super Bowl, AFC North, and exceed 8.5 wins with lines and odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Steelers Super Bowl odds: +5000
The Steelers are tied with the Chicago Bears for the 17th-highest Super Bowl odds at +5000, trailing every other team in the AFC North. To beat these odds, second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett will need to show significant progress. He went 7-4 as a starter last year, and he’ll start behind an improved offensive line in 2023.
Additionally, the defense, particularly the corner positions, must improve to withstand the challenges posed by divisional quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, and Joe Burrow, whom they’ll face twice each.
Steelers AFC North division title odds: +450
The Steelers hold the least favorable odds to win the AFC North at +450, but this is less a critique of Pittsburgh and more a testament to the strength of the division.
The Cleveland Browns are poised for improvement with Deshaun Watson at the helm for a full season, while the Baltimore Ravens are banking on better injury luck for Lamar Jackson. The Cincinnati Bengals, led by Joe Burrow, appear to be the most formidable contender in the division.
That’s not much of a surprise, as the Bengals are coming off back-to-back AFC Championship appearances.
Steelers win total odds: 8.5
Navigating six games against strong divisional opponents will be challenging for the Steelers. However, they do get some relief with matchups against the NFC West and AFC South. Their toughest non-divisional games, against the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, are at home.
Despite this, last season’s late success seemed to hinge on facing struggling or injured teams. Replicating that in a competitive division will be difficult. Hence, I’m leaning toward under 8.5 wins for the Steelers with +120 odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook.