As the NFL gears up for the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves staring down one of the most challenging schedules in recent memory.
Playing in arguably the league’s toughest division is harsh enough – but when you take a look at the rest of their opponents, it’s clear the schedule makers didn’t exactly do the Steelers any favors.
While there’s a relatively fair formula for dictating opponents, it’s clear that Lady Luck is not on Pittsburgh’s side when it comes to the 2024 schedule.
The Steelers’ schedule kicks off a little rough as they open up on the road against the new-and-improved Atlanta Falcons who will be led by a very motivated Kirk Cousins.
Then they head to Denver to take on the Broncos. It won’t be nearly as easy of a game as it seems due to the fact that facing Sean Payton early in the season is always a tough challenge. Throw in Payton’s added motivation to stick it to Russell Wilson and you begin to have the ingredients for a Denver victory.
The Steelers will then return home to face Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers. Say what you want about the Bolts, but we all know they’re going to be vastly improved with Harbaugh at the helm.
In other words, a 0-3 start to the season is not out of the question for Pittsburgh.
The Steelers complete schedule goes as follows…
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 8, at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 15, at Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 22, vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 29, at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 6, vs. Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 p.m.
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 13, at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 20, vs. New York Jets, 8:20 p.m.
Week 8: Monday, Oct. 28, vs. New York Giants, 8:15 p.m.
Week 9: Bye Week
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 10, at Washington Commanders, 1 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 17, vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.
Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 21, at Cleveland Browns, 8:15 p.m.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 1, at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 8, vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 15, at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m.
Week 16: Saturday, Dec. 21, at Baltimore Ravens, 4:30 p.m.
Week 17: Wednesday, Dec. 25, vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.
Week 18: Date/Time TBD, vs. Cincinnati Bengals
That’s a brutal schedule. In particular, those final eight games of the regular season is quite a ruthless stretch.
In addition to the AFC North gauntlet, Pittsburgh will square off against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in those final eight games.
Many feel that the league didn’t do Pittsburgh any favors with how they situated the games.
You can count FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd as one who believes the Steelers are in big trouble.
“That is the toughest schedule I have ever seen, Thanksgiving on, in league history,” Cowherd said.
The sentiment is echoed throughout the league, with many acknowledging that the Steelers have pound-for-pound the toughest overall schedule in the entire NFL.
While they certainly don’t lack talent, Mike Tomlin will face the challenging task of trying to break-in new quarterback Russell Wilson.
Wilson has of course been around the block more than a few times, but the major question is what exactly happened in Denver???
There may have never been a player in NFL history who fell off the cliff faster than Wilson.
Were those struggles with the Broncos all his fault? … Is he simply washed-up? … Or was he just dealt a bad hand?
Maybe it’s a combination of all three. But one thing is for sure, Tomlin and company are hoping that they can resurrect Wilson and get him back to playing at a Pro Bowl level.
Interestingly, Justin Fields is waiting in the shadows in case anything goes horribly wrong.
They may not have deep postseason runs to show for it, but we all know the Steelers are one of the strongest models of consistencies in the entire league.
Even last year, with all of the injuries and adversities they faced, Pittsburgh still managed to post a 10-7 record and would go on to represent themselves well (all things considered) in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills.
Facing the brutal schedule that they are this time around, how will Tomlin and the Steelers fare???
What are your thoughts on Pittsburgh’s schedule this upcoming season?
Is it indeed the toughest schedule in the entire league?
What are your expectations for Wilson? … Will he start the entire season? Or do you think Fields will take over at some point?
At the end of the day, what’s your prediction for the Steelers in 2024? … Will they make the playoffs???