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Pittsburgh Steelers: Season prediction post AB, Le’Veon Bell life

By Joe Scherer

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 22: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his seven-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter with Le'Veon Bell #26 during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field on October 22, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 22: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his seven-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter with Le'Veon Bell #26 during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field on October 22, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
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The Pittsburgh Steelers will look different in 2019, and it could lead to a downfall next season.

I think we can all assume that 26 and 84 will not be part of the 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers. Bell will either be transitioned tagged and traded or go to the team that is willing to pay him the most. Brown, after his latest farewell post and consistent desire to play elsewhere, will be traded.

Where does that leave the Steelers next year? How good or bad will they be? Can they make the playoffs with a less talented offense? Can Ben stay healthy?

Obviously with free agency, the draft, trades and other roster moves, this team, along with every other team outside of New England, will look different at the start of the season, but that doesn’t mean we cannot start looking ahead.

We know who they are playing at home and who they are playing on the road, just not when. Here are my best guesses for the 2019 outcomes:

Home Record: 5-3 (potentially 4-4)

Wins:

  • Baltimore: Banking on these two splitting, Home/Home
  • Cleveland: See Baltimore.
  • Cincinnati: Down year for them, should be a win.
  • Buffalo: C’mon, it’s Buffalo.
  • Miami: C’mon, it’s Miami.

Losses:

  • Indianapolis: Andrew Luck, yikes.
  • LA Rams: Another year under McVay for Goff. He will take another step forward.
  • Seattle: Russell Wilson will be a top 5 QB again.

Side note: We can maybe add Miami/Buffalo/Cincinnati to the losses, given the Steelers recent history of playing down to their competition, but I am living in a world where they play to their potential. Hold the laughs, please.

Away Record: 3-5

Wins:

  • Cincinnati: Ok-ish teams should beat the Bengals this year.
  • Arizona: You cannot lose to a team led by Josh Rosen.
  • NY Jets: If this is early in the year, it could be a loss since Lev Bell will still be healthy for the Jets.

Losses:

  • Baltimore: The L in the split.
  • Cleveland: Again, see Baltimore.
  • New England: Ugh. Just ugh.
  • LA Chargers: Traveling West AND Phil Rivers, no chance.
  • San Francisco: Traveling West AND Jimmy G. AND Antonio Bro….. maybe.

Side note: I am not sure of any of the wins, given the side note mentioned above.
In my ‘Way-Too-Early’ predication calculations, that puts them squarely at 8-8 (YAY! the non-losing season streak in the Tomlin era continues) or potentially 7-9.

Either way, it will be ANOTHER missed playoff year, a disappointing 2020 offseason, and more speculation of a quarterback on the brink of retiring and a coach that is sitting on the hottest of hot seats.

Next. 5 teams the Steelers hope call for AB. dark

This will be the first in a series of season predictions. We will do it again as the offseason progresses and as the Steelers’ roster evolves. How do you see them finishing, as it sits today?

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