The Steelers open the 2022 season on Sunday in Cincinnati. While a road game at the defending AFC champion is daunting, it’s not an impossible task. Pittsburgh faced a similar challenge last season when they opened at Buffalo. The Bills were heavy favorites, but Pittsburgh stunned them by employing a creative game plan that kept Buffalo’s potent passing game in check in route to a 23-16 upset victory. For the Steelers to win on Sunday in Cincinnati, they will have to rely on their defense to deliver a similar performance.
The burden this time around falls as much on the run defense as it does the secondary.