Game by Game Predictions for Steelers' 2022 Season

Steelers 17 Browns 14 

Week 4 vs. Jets 

This smells like a classic Steelers’ trap game spot. Last season, the Steelers’ opened with a win in Buffalo, and then came back to Heinz Field and lost two straight to the Raiders and Bengals (who we didn’t realize would both be playoff teams at the time.) 

Yeah, the Jets have been the red-headed step child of the AFC for a while, but Zach Wilson is going to take a big step in year two, and after adding the best WR (Garrett Wilson) and RB (Breece Hall) in this draft class, the J-E-T-S are going to have you screaming F-U-C … you get the point. 

Trubisky throws two INT’s, and the Pickett chants ensue for the first time. 

Jets 27 Steelers 17 

Week 5 @ Bills 

All of this talk about Russell Wilson facing his former team, where’s the chatter about this “Mitch Trubisky revenge game?!"

Will we see a repeat of last season, where TJ Watt and the black & gold’s defense made Josh Allen look like Tim Allen? 

No. The Bills are my pick to win the AFC. They’ll have last year’s game in the back of their minds. And they know Trubisky about as well as anyone, given that he spent all of last season mimicking Josh Allen. 

Bills corner Tre’ White takes one back to the house. Steelers twitter gets #WeWantPickett trending across the globe. 

Bills 28 Steelers 14 

Week 6 vs. Buccaneers 

Dammit. Why is that Brady guy still playing? In a similar manner, albeit much smaller to Roethlisberger owning the Browns --- Brady owns the Steelers. And this Bucs team is still loaded. 

Heinz Field will be absolutely rocking, as the ticket prices for this one will cost yinz an arm and a leg. 

Speaking of arms and legs, the mobile, yet already somewhat broken, Mitch Trubisky gets another start here. I don’t think this is the game where the Steelers would throw Kenny Pickett into the fire (more on that very shortly.) 

Chase Claypool flashes some of his old form, scoring on a classic Matt Canada jet-sweep in the first quarter, and then catching a long TD pass from Mitch in the second. 

The Steelers take a 20-10 lead into the 4th, but unfortunately, Brady is still on the other side. He takes the Bucs down the field for two late TD drives. 

Bucs 24 Steelers 20

Week 7 @ Dolphins 

The #FreeKenny hashtags have worked. With the Steelers sitting at 2-4, Pickett is named the starter by Coach Tomlin. He makes his debut in South Florida, in PRIMETIME. Fitting, given that he made his name as a freshman at Pitt against the Miami Hurricanes: 

Terrible towels will be twirling, and the bright lights of primetime will bring out the best from a Steelers’ team facing a bit of early season desperation. 

Pickett performs well under a simplified gameplan. He finishes 12-17, throwing for 201 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT. He also adds 37 yds on the ground.

Most importantly, he wins. 

Steelers 21 Dolphins 17 

Week 8 @ Eagles 

Kenny Pickett readies for his second start in the city of brotherly love, looking to keep up the momentum following the W at Miami. 

Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ electric QB, steals the show early, rushing for two touchdowns in the first half. 

But the Steelers’ cornerback combo of Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace bite back in the second half, recording two key interceptions that propel the Steelers to a comeback win, evening their record at 4-4 as they enter the bye. 

Steelers 29 Eagles 23

Week 9 BYE 

Take a deep breath. You’ve earned it. 

Week 10 vs. Saints 

Jameis Winston comes to town to face a well-rested Steelers team that has the city sick with Kenny Pickett fever. The Steelers’ haven’t won at Heinz Field since the home opener against New England in week two. 

That changes here. Chris Wormley records a sack/fumble in the 4th quarter that leads to a Najee Harris 30 yard TD burst to seal the deal, and give Kenny Pickett his 3rd straight win. 

Steelers 27 Saints 17

Week 11. vs. Bengals

Many have compared Pickett to Bengals’ star QB Joe Burrow. They both entered the NFL at the age of 24. Neither have the strongest arm, or possesses blazing speed. But both have an attribute that you can’t measure: heart. 

Unfortunately for the Steelers, Burrow will get the better of Pickett, and remind everyone who the King of the AFC North is.

Bengals 30 Steelers 14

Week 12 @ Colts

Another primetime tilt for the Steelers, as they head to Indy to face new Colts’ QB Matt Ryan, and the best back in the league, Jonathan Taylor, in a Monday Night affair. 

Mike Tomlin teams’ always show out under the lights, but I think this Colts squad is a super bowl contender with Ryan, a clear upgrade over Carson Wentz even at his age, at the helm. After winning three straight, Pickett and the Steelers drop two in a row. 

Colts 21 Steelers 17

Week 13 @ Falcons 

The Steelers go from Matt Ryan, to the Ryan-less Falcons - who for my money are the worst team in the league. Not much to be said here other than the Steelers get back on track and even their record at .500 once again, behind two Pickett rushing touchdowns. 

Steelers 27 Falcons 10 

*6-6 through 12 games

Week 14 vs. Ravens

The Steelers narrowly escaped the jaws of defeat to the Ravens twice last year, and this season won't be much different in terms of how close these games are.

Pickett gets his first taste of this rivalry, as he gets shellacked by Ravens’ Linebacker Patrick Queen early in the 1st. He gets up sporting a bloody nose, similar to Big Ben vs. Terrell Suggs. 

In what could be an early defining moment of Pickett’s career, the hit fires he and his teammates up, and he storms back from an early deficit to lead a 4th quarter game winning touchdown drive, capped off by a leaping catch by tight end Pat Freiermuth on a fade route. What a win. 

Steelers 24 Ravens 20

Week 15 @ Panthers

I’m calling this the “Matt Rhule Game.” Rhule, the Panthers Head Coach, recruited Pickett to Temple while he was coaching the Owls in college. The Panthers for a long time were the favorites to select Pickett with the 6th overall pick. They passed. Could that haunt them for years to come? 

Only time will tell. But it certainly haunts them in week 15. 

Steelers 17 Panthers 7 

Week 16 vs. Raiders

Three straight wins in a row once more for these streaky Steelers as they head into a Christmas Eve tilt with the Las Vegas Raiders. This game is hella cool, as it will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the immaculate reception (get your selfie with Franco Harris at the airport for Instagram prior to this contest.) 

Steelers rookie wide receiver George Pickens, fully ingrained into the offense by now, will make an immaculate play of his own, taking a quick slant to the house after breaking multiple tackles. 

Pickett to Pickens is born. 

Steelers 27 Raiders 23

Week 17: @ Ravens

The Steelers and Pickett enter the final two games of their schedule with a record of 9-6, firmly holding grasp of a wild card spot in the AFC. However, if you’re squeamish, now is the time to stop reading. 

In another slugfest, the Ravens bludgeon the Steelers on the ground early, as Lamar Jackson and JK Dobbins each rush for first half touchdowns. 

Pickett throws three interceptions in the worst game of his early career. Back to earth a bit here. 

Ravens 30 Steelers 13 

Week 18. vs. Browns 

I’m not sure the Browns will be in playoff contention at this point. But I am fairly sure they’ll have DeShaun Watson in this game.

No matter how you may feel about Watson off the field, on the field I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the game. 

He flashes his skillset in a house money, spoiler role for the Browns, and drops the Steelers to 9-8 for the second consecutive season.

Browns 23 Steelers 20 

The Broncos-Chargers Week 18 game is flexed to Sunday Night Football. The Steelers will clinch a wild-card spot, unless there is a tie.