Steelers fans should not press the panic button just yet

If they Beat the Packers

In this scenario, the Steelers will then have a 2-2 record. For Pittsburgh this is a huge positive in that when they start 2-2, they have made the playoffs 40.6% of the time; however, they have never won a title when starting 2-2.

Pittsburgh’s odds of at least winning eight-plus games increases as they have never had less than eight wins when starting 2-2 since 1971. The only four seasons losing less than eight games occurred in 2003,1999, 1991, and 1985. They have never finished with less than eight wins in the Ben Roethlisberger era, starting with a 2-2 record.

If they Lose

While it gets a bit dicier in this scenario with a loss, it is still not all the doom and gloom as many fans might think. In the Ben Roethlisberger era, the Steelers have only started 1-3 twice in 2006 and 2019. However, in 2019 Big Ben was out most of the season with an injury and only played in 1 ½ games.

Thus  Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges had secure victories to hit the 8-8 mark. In 2006 the Steelers record was more indicative of Roethlisberger’s poor play as he struggled to recover from his motorcycle accident before the season started.

Still, even before the Big Ben era, while starting out at 1-3, Pittsburgh has managed to make the playoffs at least 11.1% of the time. Even more fascinating about when they start the season 1-3. The Steelers actually gel and get better as a team when this happens. When starting 1-3, they have not finished worse than 8-8 since 1986 (6-10) and 1988 (5-11). Then again, the only other time that occurred after 1969 was in 1976 when they finished 10-4.