Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-4 against the Jets in New York since 2002. Will week one be a change of fortunes?
Week one for the Pittsburgh Steelers is filled with a number of stories. Not only will the Steelers deploy their new look offense with their opposition’s former quarterback, but they will be competing in dreaded territory. As luck has it, the Steelers are 1-4 against the Jets in New York since the 2002 division realignment.
When you look back at those five contests, most of them were games in which Pittsburgh was favored. Since the hiring of head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers are 5-6 against the Jets, including the postseason.
Tomlin’s first encounter with the Jets was his first head coaching season. The Steelers came to New York as 9.5-point favorites. The performance was anything but of that metric.
His number one defense allowed their first 100-yard rusher of the season to Thomas Jones, fell behind 10-0 to rookie quarterback Kellen Clemens, and couldn’t stop the Jets from tying the game at the end of regulation.
Instead, Jets punt-returner Leon Washington put New York in position to win after returning the Steelers’ overtime punt 33 yards to the Pittsburgh 26-yard line. Four plays later, Mike Nugent kicked a 38-yard game-winner.
Since that day, the Jets overall have had the Steelers’ number. Pittsburgh defeated New York in the 2010 AFC Championship — the last time the Steelers made it to the Super Bowl and the last Jets postseason appearance.
The Steelers are 1-1 in this decade against the Jets, with their last game resulting in a win over… an Aaron Rodgers-led Jets offense. This time, Pittsburgh will have Rodgers under center.
Ironically, the Jets will have their opponent’s 2024 week one starter at quarterback as well in Justin Fields. Though both quarterbacks have downplayed the matchup of their former teams, make no mistake, they would like to get a tad-sweeter victory.
For the Steelers, they will have to do it in an environment that they haven’t won often in. It doesn’t help that Jets fans probably won’t have a warm welcome for their former signal-caller.
The last time the Steelers played this early in the year at the New York Jets? 1984, where the Steelers walked away with a 23-17 victory.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Will Steelers Fortunes Change Against the Jets In New York?
