Steelers win total prediction 2023: Picking Pittsburgh’s win total

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished 9-8 last season, which was quite the surprise when considering their 2-6 record at the end of October. Even though the Steelers missed the playoffs, head coach Mike Tomlin’s dubious streak of consecutive non-losing is still intact at 16 straight.

So can Tomlin make it 17 in a row? If he does, the Steelers will climb over their listed win total of 8.5. Despite the improvement in the second-half of last season, there are plenty of obstacles in Pittsburgh’s way for 2023.

We’ll take a look at the latest DraftKings Sportsbook lines and predict if the Pittsburgh Steelers can beat their 2023 win total. The odds below are as of XXXXXX.

AFC North win totals

Baltimore Ravens: 9.5 (Over -120, Under +100)
Cincinnati Bengals: 11.5 (Over +100, Under -120)
Cleveland Browns: 9.5 (Over +130, Under -150)
Pittsburgh Steelers: 8.5 (Over -120, Under +100)

Notable offseason moves

The Steelers lost CB Cameron Sutton, LB Robert Spillane, LB Devin Bush, and others to free agency. However, Pittsburgh brought in CB Patrick Peterson, G Isaac Seumalo, LB Cole Holcomb, LB Elandon Roberts, and G Nate Herbig to help beef up the roster.

On top of that, the Steelers selected numerous prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft that they hope can contribute immediately. Their first three picks of Broderick Jones (OT - Round 1), Joey Porter Jr. (CB - Round 2), and Keeanu Benton (DL - Round 2) fit that description.

Pittsburgh Steelers prediction: Under 8.5

This is tough, but taking the under feels like the better option. That’s especially true when considering the +100 odds to the under compared to -120 for the over.

The Steelers’ defense should keep them in games, and any improvement from the offense could go a long way. Even though Pittsburgh acquired help on the offensive line, we’ll need to see how that plays out, especially in the running game. The Steelers finished tied for 25th with 4.1 yards per carry last season.

Ultimately, this comes down to the strength of the AFC North. Pittsburgh went 3-3 in the division last year, picking up wins over the struggling Ravens (without Lamar Jackson) and Browns in the final weeks. The Bengals and Ravens remain legitimate playoff contenders while the Browns should be improved in 2023. That could leave the Steelers as the odd man out, especially if a few injuries go against them.

What moves might change our prediction?

This isn’t really a move, but QB Kenny Pickett could be a wild card. If the offensive line improves with the offseason changes, that could give Pickett more of a chance in his sophomore season. While it doesn’t feel like the Steelers are ready to contend just yet, they could skip forward in that process if Pickett makes drastic improvements.