3 Reasons why the Pittsburgh Steelers did not make the 2023 NFL Playoffs

The Pittsburgh Steelers had another disappointing season. They missed the playoffs for the third time in the last five years. The Steelers posted a 9-8 record this season. They finished third in the AFC North, behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

The last time the Steelers qualified for the playoffs was last season. Unfortunately, they suffered a 42-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round.

The Steelers started the 2022 season off slow, losing six of their first eight games. They ended the season on a four-game win streak, but it was too little too late.

Here's a look at three reasons why the Steelers couldn't make it to the 2023 NFL playoffs:

#1 Pittsburgh Steelers switched to a new quarterback after nearly two decades

The Pittsburgh Steelers started most of their games with rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett. Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger was their starting quarterback for the previous 18 seasons. Often a team struggles when there they have to transition to a rookie QB after many years of success with a Hall of Famer.

Kenny Pickett started 12 games for the Steelers in his rookie season. He threw for 2404 yards, seven passing touchdowns and nine interceptions during that span. Pickett also recorded a 63 pass completion percentage. He finished his season with a 7-5 record. However, the team's offense struggled throughout the season.

#2 Injuries

The Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with a lot of major injuries this season. OLB T.J. Watt suffered a pectoral injury in the week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He missed seven games and then returned to action against the New Orleans Saints on November 13. The Steelers only lost two games after his comeback.

Najee Harris suffered a Lisfranc injury during training camp, which usually has a recovery time of two months. But Harris was fortunate enough not to miss any games.

Larry Ogunjobi suffered various injuries. He was a key factor in the Steelers' success at stopping the run when he was healthy.

#3 Pittsburgh lacked on some important positions

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't appear to be a team that would compete for a postseason spot heading into the 2022 season. A rookie quarterback and new offensive lineman is not exactly a recipe for success.

A huge amount of money was spent on having a killer defense, but Pittsburgh missed out on a middle linebacker. They did not fill the void left by the departures of corner Joe Haden and defensive end Stephon Tuitt. Both of them retired from football after the 2021 season.

Edited by andrew.tysiak