By Bob Trumpbour

For the Mirror

The NFL season opens on Thursday, Sept. 7 with the Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Detroit Lions.

For many football fans, the excitement of NFL football can’t come soon enough.

For Steelers fans, the 2023 season may be among the most intriguing and, perhaps, the most unpredictable in decades.

On a positive note, most experts praised the team’s draft, consistently ranking it in the top five of all NFL teams.

That talent is likely to provide the Steelers with a strong roster for years to come.

In addition, Kenny Pickett’s gradual improvement at quarterback and some flashes of excellence from wide receiver George Pickens and running back Najee Harris as the 2022 season concluded offered optimism that the transition from the Ben Roethlisberger era might be less painful than many fans had anticipated.

Nevertheless, the rookies, no matter how talented, are likely to require some time to transition to lofty NFL standards, particularly on defense.

In addition, offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s somewhat predictable playcalling and the offensive line’s struggles in 2022 were serious enough to prompt concerns for 2023.

Only two NFL teams, the Bears and Falcons, ranked lower in the number of “explosive” plays last season, strong evidence that playcalling and line play were suspect.

As a result, few football experts predict that the Steelers will do well in the upcoming season.

BetMGM, a leading online sportsbook, predicts that the Steelers will finish dead last in the AFC North.

They’ve determined that the Bengals are four times more likely and the Ravens are twice as likely to be crowned division champions over the Steelers.

Similarly, Pro Football Focus placed the Steelers in the bottom half of all NFL teams, ranking them 17th overall and they set their projected win total at a mediocre 8.5 games.

Touchdown Wire ranks the Steelers at an even lower 18th overall.

Still, what makes this season intriguing for Steelers fans is that General Manager Omar Khan has methodically worked on roster upgrades that will probably deliver positive results for years to come.

Most areas seem to have improved, though concerns remain at inside linebacker.

Khan’s draft creativity, cap management skills, and free agent signings are why head coach Mike Tomlin has jokingly nicknamed him the “Khan artist.”

At present, the Steelers are a team that could finish as poorly as 6-11 or as impressive as 12-5. I anticipate that this will be another winning season for Pittsburgh but how successful is anybody’s guess.

A Super Bowl appearance, might be highly unlikely, but advancing to the playoffs and winning a game or two is certainly possible.

The odds of a Super Bowl appearance are low, but with several lucky breaks, that outcome might occur.

Despite his critics, Tomlin is a rare veteran coach who has never presided over a losing team since taking charge of an NFL team.

No other current NFL coach with more than a decade of experience can make such a claim. I do not see that streak ending in 2023.

With that said, the NFL season can’t start soon enough. No matter the outcome, the 2023 season ought to be a fascinating journey.

Bob Trumpbour is an assistant professor of communications at Penn State Altoona. He authored the book, “The New Cathedrals, politics and media in the history of stadium construction.” He has also worked on a freelance basis with CBS, NBC and Westwood One for more than 30 years.