:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49474201/usa-today-8757115.0.jpg)
There are no more secrets heading into the 2016 NFL season. The schedule has been released, the NFL Draft is now a thing of the past, and other than a few more free agent moves what you see is what you get from all 32 NFL teams who are now preparing for the 2016 season.
For some teams, I'm talking to you Cleveland Browns, the odds of winning Super Bowl 51 resemble a punch line more than reality; however, for the Pittsburgh Steelers, a Super Bowl berth in 2016 is what fans expect. It isn't just fans who expect their favorite team to be in the big game when all is said and done, Las Vegas feels the same way.
Several sportsbooks in Vegas have the Steelers tied with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots as favorites to win it all next season, but before jumping to conclusions, how many wins would it take for the Steelers to not just make it to the playoffs, but possibly make a run deep into the postseason.
Updated, post-draft, 2016-17 NFL regular season win totals from @LVSuperBook. Just came in fresh this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/2OZzRo1fSk
— Covers (@Covers) May 2, 2016
Per Covers.com, the Steelers' line for wins in 2016 has been set at 10.5. The Steelers have won double-digit games the past two seasons, winning the AFC North in 2014 (11-5), and making the playoffs as a Wild Card team (10-6) in 2015.
Looking at the schedule is the place to start in terms of potential wins for the Steelers. Start with the Steelers' 6 AFC North games, where they have struggled in recent years. In 2015, Pittsburgh swept the Browns, but were swept by the Baltimore Ravens and split with the Cincinnati Bengals. To reach more than 10.5 wins, the Steelers cannot afford to be swept by any of their division rivals.
Outside of the division, the Steelers are paired with the AFC East (Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets) and the NFC East (Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants). The other two games are against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Indianapolis Colts.
So, will the Steelers have another double-digit win season? Take a look at the schedule and the team's roster...are you hurrying to the window, or taking a pass?