Looking Back At My Steelers Predictions Halfway Through The Season
I released my 2020 Steelers predictions the morning of their Monday Night Football opener in the Meadowlands.
That was of course September 14.
Now heading into Week 10 for the entire league and after 8 of their 16 games have been played for the Steelers, I wanted to revisit those to see where I stand.
Week 1 Record Prediction: 12-4
Week 10 Record Prediction: 13-3
Welp. That had been my prediction since May when the schedule was initially released. I believe an Eagles fan commented "I got an account just so I could comment on this ridiculous take haha…douche". Now as of November 11, 2020 the Pittsburgh Steelers are 8-0 and this is how the rest of their schedule looks:
vs. Bengals
@ Jacksonville
vs. Baltimore
vs. Washington
@ Buffalo
@ Bengals
vs. Colts
@ Cleveland
Definitely four winnable games in there to say the least. Record prediction looking good as of now.
Week 1 Offensive MVP: James Conner
Week 10 Offensive MVP: JuJu Smith-Schuster
This pick DID NOT have a hot start. After Week 1 I was really regretting putting this one down after Conner got banged up in Week 1 and Benny Snell carried it for over 100 yards. Was Conner about to get benched?
Luckily, he did not and has bounced back in a big way. 119 attempts for 520 yards averaging 4.4 per carry and has five touchdowns. He's without a doubt the main back for this team. Now with that being said even as well as he's bounced back, I wouldn't put him as offensive MVP right now. Sure, these last 8 games hopefully the Steelers lean on him and the line and maybe he will make a push for it down the stretch, but currently I would have to give this to JuJu. He's got the most catches on the team, has scored four touchdowns, and the last three weeks especially the dude has come up with big play after big play after big play. He's been targeted 57 times with no drops and has 45 catches with no fumbles.
Advertisement
He's been the reliable weapon the offense needs in it's biggest moments.
Week 1 Defensive MVP: TJ Watt
Week 10 Defensive MVP: TJ Watt
Definitely not hard to feel good about this pick in Week 1. Same goes for heading into Week 10. The guy is just a stud in all aspects of the game. Stopping the run, rushing the passer, hell he's even got 6 passes defensed. So far through eight games TJ Watt leads the team with seven sacks, he has 13.5 TFL, 1 INT, and 6 passes defensed. When you need a play you look to TJ Watt. Although like I said in Week 1 predictions, if Stephon Tuitt stays healthy he very well could be the pick and right now he definitely has an argument.
He's been dominant. 6 sacks, 9 TFL, 1 FF. Fingers crossed he stays healthy the rest of the season.
Week 1 Team MVP: Ben Roethlisberger
Week 10 Team MVP: Ben Roethlisberger
Yeah I mean it's not close. At all. This is practically the same team as last year's fun 8-8 squad. The only difference is 7 is back there taking the snaps. 68% completion, 1,934 passing yards, 18 touchdowns to 4 INTs. He's orchestrated the game-winning drives in the last two ballgames on the road at Baltimore and at Dallas. He played clean in both of those games with no turnovers.
The gap between him and any other quarterback the Steelers have on the roster is wider than the Grand Canyon, and it's obvious that he's the straw that stirs the drink. Hell of a comeback year for Ben so far. The Steelers will go as far as he takes them.
All-in-all not too bad from what I started with. Feel really good about all my picks as Conner is probably the only one I would revise at this point.
Still 8 weeks to go. Gotta finish strong in December Football like Coach T always says which is the exact opposite of what the Steelers have done the last two seasons.