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Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 games to watch from the 2018 regular season

By Brandon Kring

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 14: A view of the the field during a fly over by F-16 jets before kickoff of the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Heinz Field on January 14, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 14: A view of the the field during a fly over by F-16 jets before kickoff of the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Heinz Field on January 14, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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The NFL released the 2018 regular season schedules last week and the Pittsburgh Steelers now know when they will play each opponent. The tougher match ups are heavily weighted to the back-end leaving a tense second half for the team and fans.

The Pittsburgh Steelers know their schedule for 2018 and it is not a kind one. The first half sees them play four of their six division games before the week 8 bye.

The front half of the schedule is among the easiest in the NFL. But, don’t let this fool you as it is based on the 2017 combined win percentage so Cleveland twice skews the numbers.

The back half of this schedule is where the fun is but overall it looks like a good schedule for the team. Let’s take a look at the best five games to be sure to watch this upcoming season.

1. Season opener @ Cleveland – 9/9/18

The Season opener is obviously among the top five games to watch each season. We have gone over six months without football leading up to this game so the hype is almost unbearable.

Though it is against Cleveland, the opener should offer fans plenty of entertainment. The Browns still have the draft to go this weekend but they look revamped.

This is not to say the Browns will win the division but they look to at least be more competitive. All division games are worth a watch as you can mostly throw records out the window in AFC north football match-ups.

2. Home opener vs Kansas City – 9/16/18

Incidentally, the home opener immediately follows the season opener. This should be a great match-up as the Chiefs were a playoff team a season ago.

The team will look much different from 2017 as Alex Smith is no longer the signal caller. Second year player Patrick Mahomes will step in and take the reigns of the offense for the Chiefs.

This game is one to try to get tickets for. The atmosphere after months without football at Heinz field is sure to be electric, especially against a quality opponent.

3. Week 11 @ Jacksonville – 11/08/18

The Steelers will travel to Jacksonville to meet with the Jaguars for the first time since they playoff embarrassment in 2017’s divisional round. The Steelers will surely be out for revenge from the two beat downs they received in the 2017 season.

Must Read: 10 biggest draft needs for the Steelers

Pittsburgh will look to avenge their losses from a season ago in front of what is sure to be a lively Jacksonville crowd. The Steelers will likely still be in a close race for a top seed in the playoffs by this time.

The Jaguars look to be competitive yet again so this game could be a battle. It would be nice to see the Steelers compete and defeat the Jaguars after watching them fail twice last season.

4. Week 15 vs New England – 12/06/18

The New England Patriots come to town for the second year in a row in week 15. This game has the potential to be everything it was last season and more.

The Steelers will look to finish the job in a game that will likely go down as deciding the top seed for the playoffs in 2018.

This also has the chance to be the last time Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady face off in the regular season. You never know what the future holds for two of the older quarterbacks in the league.

5. Both Cincinnati games – Week 6 and Week 17

The Steelers/Bengals games have become something of a spectacle in recent years. Since the playoff game in 2016, the two have engaged in fierce battles.

Both of the contests this season should be no different after the way last year’s second meeting ended on Monday Night Football. With the block from Juju Smith-Schuster on Vontaze Burfict to the hit to Antonio Brown on his late touchdown, the Steelers and Bengals have no love for each other.

These two franchises could be locked in a divisional title race late in the season and week 17 could prove to be a must watch match up. Either way, both match-ups are sure to provide fireworks either by the plays made, or the extra curricular action.

Next: 15 greatest 1st round picks in Steelers history

What game are you in Steeler Nation looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments and keep it locked here for the best Pittsburgh Steelers news and updates!

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