How'd they do in 2017?
The short answer is: well. They finished 13-3, good enough to earn them a playoff berth, complete with a first-round bye, after winning the AFC North. However, they would succumb to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional round during a 45-42 shootout that contradicted the defensive prowess of both teams. In a game where Jacksonville held a 21-point lead early on, the Steelers mounted a comeback. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hit a literal last second touchdown pass, but the Jaguars were still up by three as time expired thanks to a 45-yard field goal hit on the Jags' previous drive.
The Steelers remained relatively silent in free agency with just a couple of defensive pickups but had a notable draft this offseason. They added the heir-apparent to Roethlisberger in quarterback Mason Rudolph – a steal in the third round, if you ask me – but took safety Terrell Edmunds and wide receiver James Washington in the first and second rounds, respectively. Washington will be a heck of an addition to a receiver corps that already includes Antonio Brown, so Pittsburgh should be primed to have another good year in 2018.
Anything interesting between the two teams?
The two teams haven't played each other in the regular season since 2014. With quarterback Mike Glennon at the helm, the Buccaneers pulled out a 27-24 come-from-behind win over the Steelers at Heinz Field during Week 4 of that year. It was after initially jumping out to a 10-point lead that the Buccaneers found themselves in a 24-17 hole going into the fourth quarter. Kicker Patrick Murray (yes, the same Patrick Murray from 2017) hit a 27-yarder early in the fourth but then Glennon led a last-minute drive that resulted in a 5-yard Vincent Jackson touchdown, putting the Bucs up 27-24 with just seven seconds to go to claim the victory.
What about off the field?
Famed former Buccaneers Head Coach Tony Dungy will be inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor at halftime during the Sept. 24 matchup between the two teams. The game will also be nationally televised in prime time on Monday Night Football. It's fitting that the Steelers will be the Bucs' opposition as Pittsburgh isn't without its connections to Dungy. As a player, Dungy won Super Bowl XIII with the Steelers and returned as the team's linebackers coach and eventual defensive coordinator under Chuck Noll.
So… what if I want to go?
The Steelers will visit Raymond James Stadium for the fourth time on Monday Night Football during Week 3. For individual game tickets to see the Buccaneers in prime time on September 24, visit Buccaneers.com/tickets.
