When the temperature outside begins to become less humid, and the leaves start to produce change, it is safe to say football season is near. There are a bountiful amount of anxious Americans who have been patiently awaiting the beginning of the new season since the second week of February. Although the NFL Draft and the free agency period attempted to feed our football appetite, it is good to know that the National League Football will return to the big screen during the first week of September. With regular season predictions surfacing the internet already, who will be the team to watch during the 2017-2018 NFL season?
Follow the "Yellow Brick Road"
When fans and analyst discuss their regular season predictions, they will often go off of the performances they have seen in the previous season. It is a tradition that the two teams that are the best in their own respective conference's will ultimately play in the Super Bowl. The winner will be crowned as the best team in the league. Although the New England Patriots are currently the reigning Super Bowl Champions, they may not be so fortunate this year. The men in Pittsburgh have been preparing for the 2017 season as if they have something to prove in the immediate future.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are returning key pieces in their defense such as the talented Bud Dupree, Ryan Shazier and up and rising safety Mike Mitchell.
In addition to their aggressive run stoppers, the Steelers have also acquired veteran corner Joe Haden who will help resurrect the struggling Steelers secondary back to life. It is proven that when the Steelers are able to field a good defense, they are a stronger team. In fact, the six Super Bowls the Steelers have been able to win has been a result of the solid defensive play that anchored the self-sufficient offense.
Hopefully, the "Steel Curtain" foundation is still present in Pittsburgh as they try to embark on this journey down the "Yellow Brick Road."
Don't focus on the hype
This offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been almost too eventful. After the 2016-2017 season came to a cease, the Steelers front office did not have a clear indication of whether their star Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would be coming back to play for another season.
During the 2017 NFL draft, the organization decided to make a move for the future when they invested in the young former Tennessee Quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
In addition to their uncertainty at quarterback, the team was also unsure about their returning wide receiver Martavius Bryant. Bryant missed the previous year due to a suspension he received for breaking the NFL's substance abuse policy. It was clear that he needed to come back into the locker room ready to gain the trust of his teammates back. With their star running back Le'Veon Bell deciding to report to team activities at the last possible second, many people believed that the team would crumble despite their amount of talent.
When all the pieces are in place for the Steelers, it is clear that they are coming back better than they were during the 2016 season.
It would almost be a sign of disrespect if they were not recognized as a top 5 team in the AFC conference. With the talent and experience on this NFL roster, the Steelers could make a deep playoff run.
