The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the steadiest teams in the NFL, as the star trio of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown has kept them among the best teams in the AFC for the past half-decade.
The Steelers have won double-digit games in each of the past four years so it is not a surprise to see the projected win total among the highest in football. An outstanding offense should lead the way again as Pittsburgh plans to be in the Super Bowl hunt in 2018. The Steelers were upset in the AFC Divisional Round by the Jaguars a year ago and will be hungry to push for a title.
While past success shows what another season could look like, some unrest within the organization is a worry. Think about this win total closely because the Steelers could be in line for a down year in NFL gambling.
Pittsburgh Steelers Opening Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Steelers Over 10.5 Wins +128
Steelers Under 10.5 Wins -156
2018 Steelers Offense Preview
The Steelers were eighth in the NFL in points per game last year and third in yards. Roethlisberger threw for 4,251 yards with 28 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He is getting older, and the drafting of Mason Rudolph ruffled Roethlisberger’s feathers this offseason, but the strong-armed signal-caller figures to be a consistent presence behind center once again.
He will have the NFL’s most dynamic weapons around him once again. Brown had 101 catches for 1,533 yards and nine touchdowns a season ago as he continues to prove there are few like him in the receiving game. Bell is unhappy with his contract and he could be gone by next season, but for now the electric running back should put up more huge numbers. He is a dominant player both rushing and receiving. Bell had 1,291 rushing yards, 655 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns a year ago.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has also emerged at wide receiver as a big-time player, so there is an embarrassment of riches on this side of the ball, which is the main reason why Pittsburgh is expected to have such a good year.
2018 Steelers Defense Preview
Pittsburgh gave up 19.3 points per game last season and has long been known for its physicality on defense. The Steelers have some impressive individual players, including defensive end Cameron Heyward and outside linebacker T.J. Watt.
Cornerback Joe Haden and safety Morgan Burnett made names for themselves with other teams but are now hoping to solidify the secondary. The Steelers don’t have to be great on defense because the offense is so explosive, and another top-10 finish would put the team on track to win 11 or more games.
2018 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule Analysis
The divisional games are pretty easy, as Pittsburgh gets two matchups apiece against the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. But the out of division contests are a bear.
The Steelers are matching up against the NFC South this season, which means games against the Saints, Panthers and Falcons, who all made the playoffs in 2017. Additionally, they play a first-place schedule and must face off against the Patriots, Jaguars and Chiefs.
This is some tough sledding for a team that has a lot of talent but will be tested.
The Final Verdict
The Steelers have been good for so long that it would be easy to pencil them in for 11 wins, but the margin of error is thin. The schedule is tough, and if Roethlisberger, Brown or Bell get hurt for an extended period of time it could put a huge dent in the win-loss record.
The level of difficulty is too high in 2018, and there is a possibility the offense takes a step back. Pittsburgh should make the playoffs once again this year but it won’t be as easy as in recent seasons in NFL gambling.
NFL Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Steelers Under 10.5 Wins (-156)
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