Just 6 of 17: The Steelers’ stat that makes a fool of the Steelers before the start of the NFL season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have dominated NFL headlines this offseason. While that may be the case as they continue a busy summer, the oddsmakers aren’t envisioning them dominating on the field in the upcoming campaign.

Steelers all over the news

If you take a look at our website here at AS English or any other website that covers the NFL you will see the Steelers plastered all over the front pages. That comes with the territory when you are one of the most followed franchises in the league. It also comes with signing a 41 year old, four time MVP quarterback. Making one of the biggest trades of the summer, like Pittsburgh did sending Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith will only add to that attention.

It’s not a bad thing to get the attention from the media, when you are winning. Getting media attention when you are losing only adds to fuel to the fire, just look at Aaron Rodgers and the the New York Jets over the last two years. That’s what Pittsburgh is going to be hoping to avoid this year, but the odds makers don’t see that playing out, at least at the moment.

Of their 17 games, they are only considered favorites by the betting houses in six of them. The season starts off okay for Pittsburgh as they take on the Jets in New York (an Aaron Rodgers reunion) in Week 1, and host the Seahawks in Week 2. They are favorites in both of those games, but only slightly (-3) and (-1.5). The only division rivals they are favorites against are the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 and Week 17, and the only other teams they are seen as the stronger side are the Indianapolis Colts who they play in Week 9 and the Miami Dolphins in Week 15.

Is Tomlin on the hot seat?

Anyone who knows anything about odds and betting knows that those lines are prone to change from one day to the next. There are a number of things that will affect those odds from now until Week 1, and once the season starts those numbers will almost certainly change for each and every week. One of the most underlying uncertainties for the Steelers is the contract situation of T.J. Watt who looks on the verge of a holdout. If he were to sign with the Steelers, that would immediately affect those odds.

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Winning is the only thing that matters in Pittsburgh. They have a long and rich tradition of winning in the Steele City, and even when they aren’t lifting the Lombardi Trophy, fans expect their team to be in the contender conversation. That hasn’t been the case lately.

Head coach Mike Tomlin got off to a great start in Pittsburgh, winning the Super Bowl in just his second season in charge of the Steelers. In his mid 30s and already with a Super Bowl ring, Steelers fans started to envision another dynasty on the way but there has been more disappointment than signs of dynasty. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since 2017 but they are hoping that changes in this “all in” season.