The NFL released the entire 2014 schedule tonight, and once again the Pittsburgh Steelers will have to face one of the more challenging slates in the entire league.
The Steelers opponents include their usual six AFC North Divisional games against the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. They draw the NFC South in inter-conference play, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints coming to Heinz Field and road games at the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. The Steelers will also play games on the road against traditional rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. Add in home games against the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and Kansas City Chiefs, as well as a road game at the New York Jets, and the Steelers will be facing five 2013 playoff teams.
Even more challenging for Pittsburgh will be the start of the season, when the Steelers will play four of their first six games on the road, including back-to-back road primetime games against the Ravens and Panthers in Weeks two and three. Once again starting in Week 10, the Steelers will face a stretch of four of five weeks on the road, sandwiched around a Week 12 bye, the latest such week for the team in years.
Both Steelers vs. Ravens matchups this season will be primetime games, with the Steelers at Baltimore in Week 2 for an early season Thursday Night Football game. In Week 9, the Ravens will visit Heinz Field for a Sunday Night Football game. The Steelers will play a primetime game at home against the Houston Texans (October 20, Monday Night Football) and on the road against the Tennessee Titans (November 17, Monday Night Football). Pittsburgh has one late start game in Week 8, a 4:25 pm start at home against Indianapolis.
Following the Week 12 bye, the Steelers will play a stretch of five straight 1:00 pm kickoffs to end the season (of course, flex scheduling could affect this moving forward). The Steelers will not see division rival Cincinnati until December 7 (Week 14 at Cincinnati), then will turn around to face them again a mere three weeks later to close out the season at Heinz Field (Week 17). The Steelers home opener at Heinz Field will be on September 7 against the Cleveland Browns.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2014 Team Schedule
Week 1 Sep 7 1:00 pm Cleveland Browns
Week 2 Sep 11 8:25 pm @ Baltimore Ravens
Week 3 Sep 21 8:30 pm @ Carolina Panthers
Week 4 Sep28 1:00 pm Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 5 Oct 05 1:00 pm @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 6 Oct 12 1:00 pm @ Cleveland Browns
Week 7 Oct 20 8:30 pm Houston Texans
Week8 Oct 26 4:25 pm Indianapolis Colts
Week9 Nov 2 8:30 pm Baltimore Ravens
Week 10 Nov 9 1:00 pm @ New York Jets
Week 11 Nov 17 8:30 pm @ Tennessee Titans
Week 12 BYE WEEK
Week 13 Nov 30 1:00 pm New Orleans Saints
Week 14 Dec 07 1:00 pm @ Cincinnati Bengals
Week 15 Dec 14 1:00 pm @ Atlanta Falcons
Week 16 Dec 21 1:00 pm Kansas City Chiefs
Week 17 Dec28 1:00 pm Cincinnati Bengals
