The Steelers enter Week 3 with a 2-0 record ahead of a key AFC matchup against the also undefeated Los Angeles Chargers. It will be Pittsburgh’s toughest challenge yet this year, but also a chance to get the season off to an exceptionally strong start.

Earlier this week, we polled Steelers fans about their confidence in the direction the team is headed, where they expect Pittsburgh to finish in the AFC North, and whether they’d be surprised if the team got off to a 3-0 start. Here’s what they had to say.

46% of Steelers fans predict second place in the AFC North

The Steelers are currently the only 2-0 team in their division, ahead of the 1-1 Browns who have struggled offensively, and hold a two-game lead over the winless Ravens and Bengals. The Steelers’ schedule gets much tougher in the second half of the season, and the other AFC North teams could certainly bounce back, but Steelers fans are confident that Pittsburgh will finish in the top half.

46% of fans expect the Steelers to finish second in the division, while 31% expect the team to finish first in the regular season. It will be a while before we see how it all plays out, but there is no denying that Pittsburgh is off to a great start in the race to win the AFC North.

Most Steelers fans won’t be surprised by a 3-0 start to the season

Expectations weren’t exactly high for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. A winless preseason revealed that Pittsburgh still had big questions at quarterback and offensive line. Rumors swirled that the Steelers wouldn’t make the playoffs.

However, a 2-0 start to 2024 has changed expectations around the team. Only 39% of fans said they would be surprised by a 3-0 start. We don’t have the data, but I can guarantee that percentage would have been much higher for Week 1.

Confidence surrounding the Steelers remains high, but stable

Heading into this Chargers game in Week 3, 76% of Steelers fans feel confident that the team is headed in the right direction. That’s a high number, but it’s a tiny jump from last week, when the confidence level was 74%. It’s officially more than three-quarters, at least.

The lack of change is likely because the Steelers didn’t really improve from Week 1 to Week 2. The offense finally scored a touchdown, but scored fewer points overall. The defense continued to excel, but rookie Bo Nix isn’t exactly a top matchup at this point in his career.

However, a solid win over the Chargers, who were 2-0, could boost the optimism of Pittsburgh fans, who already have a lot of confidence in their team.

Be sure to follow BTSC for Steelers news and discussion leading up to game day at 1:00 PM ET on September 22.