The Steelers will not be able to capitalize on home-field advantage
So that’s really the issue; that’s the one simple reason the seven remaining road games will hurt us. Without delving too deeply into statistics, I dare say that had we played the Denver Broncos, the Houston Texans, or the Philadelphia Eagles on the road, we may have lost those games.
I firmly believe that because we were in the friendly confines of our ‘home turf’, we were able to overcome adversity and to emerge victorious in those contests. Putting aside the fact that Heinz Field has not exactly been filled to capacity, I would bet that playing in front of our fans has energized the Steelers when energy was necessary to overcome a deficit or to make a big play when one needed to be made.
We all know that Steelers fans travel well. However, given the current state of affairs with limited or no capacity at sporting events, playing on the road will be that much more difficult to which to adjust; it just will, I don’t think there is any way around that.
I think it’s also fair to say that traveling as much as the Steelers will be traveling will be exhausting for both players and coaches. Again, I don’t think there’s any way around that. So what’s the verdict with respect to having to play six road games?