The Pittsburgh Steelers’ were the healthiest team in the AFC North last season. Even so they couldn’t make the playoffs. At The Predictors we preach health as a predictor of success, and we stand by that but as with all data and statements pertaining to success, we understand that other factors also play a role that even healthy teams can’t overcome. Talent, offensive playmakers, and core coaching deficiencies all play into the win/loss record at the end of the day. The Pittsburgh Steelers had problems with all of them. During the draft they looked to address some of the glaring issues they faced this prior season, but will it be enough to propel them into the post-season is yet to be decided.
Who was injured on the Pittsburgh Steelers?
From a health standpoint the Steelers were relatively solid. With only a few concerning issues on defense, they made sure to patch holes as best they could and give themselves chances. Injuries to T.J. Watt including his pectoral, knee and ribs caused the 2021 defensive player of the year to sit out week 2-8. A loss like Watt from your lineup is no small feat to overcome either. When he returned, he still seemed bothered by the previous injuries and logged just 4.5 sacks over the remainder of the season. In the secondary, missed games due to injury Ahkello Witherspoon (Hamstring) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (Knee, Appendix) made Teryl Austin and Mike Tomlins job just a little tougher.
BALTIMORE, MD - JANUARY 01: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) rushes during the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens on January 1, 2023 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Charles Brock/Icon Sportswire)
The Steelers finished 9-8 thanks to a string of wins late in the season but even their record can’t hide the offensive struggles they had at specific positions. The team encountered offensive injuries here and their but that wasn’t close to their biggest issue. Their offensive line was at best, middle of the pack. Their new draft pick Broderick Jones should have an immediate positive impact and they have tried to secure the interior of the unit, but it still isn’t a top tier squad compared to other teams by any stretch of the imagination. We saw this in full effect as their run game struggled early in the year. By the end of the season they had progressed and the run game was churning but the passing game didn’t help. That problem was twofold. The QB situation wasn’t perfect but more so was the receiving corps. The Steelers didn’t do their QBs any favors with the Johnson, Pickens, Claypool lineup that eventually became the Pickens, Johnson lineup after the Claypool trade. Freiermuth did his part actually being the reception yards leader in 6 of the regular season games but it wasn’t enough to earn a spot in post-season play.
How was the Steelers health overall last year?
Over the year the Steelers logged 17 weeks of decent Banged Up Scores (The Predictors health ranking). Never dropping below 72.1, and a high of 88.2 to start the season they were consistent over the regular season. They had an average B.U.S. of 78.6 which was top ten in the league and their average weekly position of 7.4/32 was good enough for 6th overall and 1st in the AFC North as mentioned earlier. A shining light in a sea of mediocrity last year.
There is no doubt in my mind that their excellent health played a part in the fact that they were able to stay above .500 when the year ended. Can you imagine if they had more injuries what their record could have looked like? It’s a testament to their athletic training staff, nutrition department, strength and conditioning coaches and medical physicians. All of which who got good grades from the players in their NFLPA report card despite the facilities receiving rough grades. Pittsburgh will need to keep this top health next year if they want to go further. Their competition is only getting stronger and The Bengals and Ravens are continuing to build. It’s going to be a dog fight in the North next season and they don’t want to get left behind.
