AFC North Schedule Analysis: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be impossible to read going into 2020. They can go anywhere, from third place in the division to the number one seed in the AFC. It all falls on the health of Ben Roethlisberger, who missed most of 2019 due to season-ending elbow surgery.
Last Year’s Record: 8-8
With Big Ben sidelined, Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges were the men used under center for the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the performances they had, Pittsburgh was lucky to go 8-8, and their record is a testament to their schedule and coach Mike Tomlin’s ability. Add in the fact that both JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner were in and out of the injury report, and it becomes clear just how tough this year was for the Steelers.
SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
@ N.Y Giants (9/14 7:00 P.M.)
WEEK 2
vs. Denver (9/20 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 3
vs. Houston (9/27 1;00 P.M.)
WEEK 4
@ Tennessee (10/4 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 5
vs. Philadelphia (10/11 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 6
vs. Cleveland (10/18 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 7
@ Baltimore (10/25 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 8
BYE
WEEK 9
@ Dallas (11/8 4:25 P.M.)
WEEK 10
vs. Cincinnati (11/15 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 11
@ Jacksonville (11/22 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 12
vs. Baltimore (11/26 8:20 P.M.)
WEEK 13
vs. Washington (12/6 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 14
@ Buffalo (12/13 8:20 P.M.)
WEEK 15
@ Cincinnati (12/21 8:15 P.M.)
WEEK 16
vs. Indianapolis (12/27 1:00 P.M.)
WEEK 17
@ Cleveland (1/3 1:00 P.M.)
Most Intriguing Game: Week 14 at Buffalo Bills (SNF)
Last year, the Steelers played the Bills on Sunday Night Football, with the Bills coming out on top to clinch a playoff spot. This obviously was not the best Steelers team, and they came close to beating a very good Bills team. Fast forward a year, and the Steelers will have another crack at Buffalo on the primetime stage. What makes this game so intriguing to me is how similar these two teams are: both are led by very good secondaries and stout defensive lines. If Big Ben is healthy, the Steelers have the edge on the offensive side, but Josh Allen and the Bills offense is not far behind, especially if Allen progresses well. I think this will be a very good game, but one that the Steelers can definitely win.
Most Important Game: Week 7 at Baltimore Ravens
In Week 7, Pittsburgh will travel to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, who had the number-one seed in 2019. This is by far the most important game of the year for the Steelers. It is their last game before their bye week, and after that their schedule lightens up a little bit. Pittsburgh matches up well against Baltimore, but Lamar Jackson, the reigning MVP, is going to be tough to slow down. The Steelers may end up having a leg up on the division if they can win some close games, especially this one.
Most Important Stretch: Weeks 2-5
Every team wants to get off to a good start with the new season. In Week 1, the Steelers should take care of business against a rebuilding New York Giants team, but that is where the season gets tough. Before Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers don’t have a division game, but every game is against a tough opponent in this stretch. The Steelers will face the Broncos and Texans at home, travel to Tennessee, then end this four-game stretch against the Eagles at home. The Broncos aren’t proven yet, but their team is loaded with star power and a young quarterback in Drew Lock, who is 3-1 to start his career. The Texans are vulnerable, but still a tough opponent. After that, the Titans and Eagles will be their toughest opponents. They both run the ball well and have very good defenses. If Pittsburgh can avoid falling into a three- or four-game losing streak going into Week 6, they should be in a good position to go on a run.
Prediction: 9-7
To end the year, I think the Steelers will be fighting for a playoff spot, but not a top seed, with a record of 9-7. After an easy Week 1 win, I expect the Steelers to go 3-3 in their next six games before their bye week, bringing their record to 4-3. After the bye, I don’t expect them to be able to stay with Dallas’ offense, bringing them to 4-4. With easy wins against teams like Jacksonville, Washington, and Cincinnati, plus a tough win or two against Indianapolis, Cleveland, or Buffalo, that should bring them to around 9 wins. While I believe they will finish 9-7, I would not be surprised if they finished as high as 12-4, or even 13-3.
Schedule from triblive.com
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