5 reasons to be excited about the 2023 Steelers

#1: Kenny PIckett Looks Ready to Lead the Steelers into the Postseason

Kenny Pickett had one hell of a preseason. He went 13/15 for 199 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, he led his offense to touchdowns on all five of his drives.

It's only the preseason, but we are kidding ourselves if we don't understand that his performance throughout August created lofty expectations for him and his team.

The Steelers are good enough to have yet another winning season under head coach Mike Tomlin. The AFC North is one of the toughest divisions in the league this year and will be one of the biggest hurdles for the Steelers to get back into the postseason. But the Steelers having a roster that stacks up well with the rest of the division is why it's so tough. It's hard to peg any team as bad enough to finish last.

The difference will be Kenny Pickett. No one is asking him to be Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, or Deshaun Watson, but those are the guys he'll be compared to. Those are the guys he has to outscore twice each to get the Black and Gold into the playoffs.

Pickett doesn't have to be an MVP quarterback. This team can play bully ball and run the ball with authority as it did to close the season. The skill players around Pickett can help him create more explosive plays than last year. Most importantly to the culture of Steelers football, he's got a top-10 (if not better) defense on the other side to lean on.

Pickett looks poised to take a significant step, and it already looks as though he's going to follow through with that effort. If he does, the Steelers are easily one of the most dangerous teams in the entire NFL.