Pittsburgh Steelers: Game predictions for remainder of 2019 season

CARSON, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: Defensive end Tyson Alualu #94 and linebacker Devin Bush #55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate a touchdown during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
CARSON, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: Defensive end Tyson Alualu #94 and linebacker Devin Bush #55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate a touchdown during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
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CARSON, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 13: Quarterback Devlin Hodges #6 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers greet each other following a game at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
CARSON, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 13: Quarterback Devlin Hodges #6 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers greet each other following a game at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are handcuffed by poor quarterback play and are sitting at 2-4. What will the rest of the season look like after their Week 7 bye?

The Pittsburgh Steelers held on to a 24-17 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, but that doesn’t mean the season’s outcome is going to change. The Steelers can’t escape their disappointing season, but the team can pick up a few wins in the weeks after their bye.

If the Steelers want to win games, the defense will have to set the offense up for layup scores. No matter who the quarterback is, Devlin Hodges or Mason Rudolph, the offense has not been consistent or impactful this season. Both the pass and run games are playing at a below-average level.

Frankly, the offense has been reduced to relying on dead formations like the wild cat. While the emphasis going into the season was on Ben Roethlisberger and the team’s transformed offense going into the season, it’s time for the focus to shift entirely to the defense.

Even though the AFC North is one of the worst divisions in the NFL, the Steelers aren’t competing for a playoff spot this year. The inconsistent Baltimore Ravens should run away with the division title and then get crushed in the playoffs. However, even after a 2-4 start, an 8-8 record isn’t out of the question for Pittsburgh. Looking at the rest of the season, the Steelers have a chance to make some noise against other struggling teams.

This article will walk through the rest of Pittsburgh’s season after the bye week. The Steelers only play three playoff teams from last season during the back half of their schedule. Most of the other games are against subpar teams, which is why 8-8 is still in play.