The Steelers will face some tough teams during their 2022 schedule.
The 2022 schedule has some positives and negatives for the Steelers as they are currently getting ready for the upcoming grind. They will not have to travel nearly as much as other franchises, at least when it comes to miles traveled. They will face off against some of the toughest clubs in the league though.
Although there were some teams left off this list, Pittsburgh will go through a grueling schedule. That is a tall order for the black and gold as they cope with a transition period heading into the season. There are many new faces that will be making some contributions to the lineup in different capacities.
Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett will be constantly battling for the starting quarterback spot. All of this will happen while new offensive linemen try to congeal. Fresh faces for a new era for football in the Steel City where matchups will lead to them being underdogs in most games.
Week 5: Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
The Steelers will go on the road in week five to take on the Bills. It is going to be a tough environment to go into and sneak out with a win. They were able to pull off the upset in week one of last season, but that took a nearly perfect defensive effort to win that game.
Josh Allen and the Bills will be contenders in the AFC for many years to come. They have a solid roster with one of the better coaching staffs in the NFL. They need to start slaying the beast known as the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs, but this will be a great team that Pittsburgh will struggle to defeat.
Week 16 (Christmas eve): Pittsburgh Steelers vs Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders will come back to town to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 16. This game will be played on Christmas eve night unless the NFL alters the schedule. This will be a rematch from last year after the Raiders defeated Pittsburgh on their home field.
There is a historic rivalry between these two clubs since the immaculate reception. This is a game between two teams that made it to the playoffs in 2021, one directly affecting other clubs’ chances last season. It was the Raiders victory over the Chargers that secured the playoff berth for the black and gold.
No one will forget that in this city, but it is going to be a fight in this game. Both teams have weaknesses and strengths across their rosters. Injuries could always change that, and this is very late in the year. It seems like potentially both franchises could be in for a playoff fight in this one.
The Raiders will have the upper hand on the offensive side of the ball with how things currently stand. The Steelers will have the upper hand when it comes to their defensive side of things. That could balance things out, but the Raiders could begin to pull ahead if the home defense stays on the field for too long.
Week 11: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals
Both games against the Cincinnati Bengals are going to be tough matchups to overcome for the Steelers. The further you get in the season, the more you have a chance of missing players due to injury, and other clubs starting to see different tendencies on tape. That could spell disaster for certain teams in the AFC North division.
The first battle between these two will be a big litmus test for Pittsburgh. They lost both games against the Bengals last season, and they were not great contests. Cincinnati was able to take care of business without much concern throughout those games.
Finding a way to win against this young Bengals roster is going to be a tough task for any club. They have a highly talented offense and a defense that continued to get better in 2021. They will have Super Bowl aspirations yet again with the hope of winning it this time around.
The high-speed offensive attack that the cats will bring seems like it will continue to be too much for the black and gold to handle. Their corners are not the fastest and that creates a huge issue in this matchup. Top that off with Mitch Trubisky or potentially a rookie quarterback starting, that could lead to a lot of turnovers for Joe Burrow to take advantage of.
Week 6: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady will be coming back to Pittsburgh, but it will be his first time as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. It has been a while since the black and gold faced Brady as he was still a member of the New England Patriots at that time. He has constantly found success against this franchise throughout his career.
History is not going in the favor of Pittsburgh in this matchup. They will need to move forward with the hope of doing just enough to slow Brady and his offense down as much as possible to leave Heinz Field with a victory. The issue is the newly un-retired quarterback will be on a mission to win another Super Bowl before he becomes a free agent after the season concludes.
This will be a good team that they will go up against in week six, not just one that rides the coattails of Brady. They have some new coaches in place and that could alter some of the club, but for the most part, it will be another playoff juggernaut. They have a solid defense that has a questionable secondary at times.
This just looks like a game that will have all the cards stacked against the Steelers. The Buccaneers will have a relentless attack on offense during the entire game, no matter what kind of defense comes to play for Pittsburgh. It is going to be an uphill battle from the first snap of the game which should see Brady add another win to his resume in Heinz Field.
Week 17: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
The games between the Baltimore Ravens and the Steelers are always close and hard fought. That was the case last season as both games combined for a difference in the score of four points. The black and gold were able to secure victories in both games last year, despite them being very close.
Now both will be going head-to-head twice this season again, with Pittsburgh taking on the Ravens in their second to last game of the season. It is going to be difficult to go back into this hostile environment and get out of there with a win. The Ravens will be looking for payback after struggling to win games against the Steelers for a couple of years now.
Lamar Jackson will be back fully healthy and has been gunning for a giant contract extension. He has a big motivating factor that has created a chip on his shoulder. Baltimore has done well during the offseason to bring in some difference makers on both sides of the ball that should be able to make this an even tougher matchup for the away club in this one.
The newly formed offensive line is going to be tested a lot in this matchup. There might be injuries that Pittsburgh needs to deal with at this point of the season and that will leave them at a disadvantage. Most expect the Steelers to be out of the playoff race at this point of the year, but no matter if they are in it or not, they will give the Ravens all they got.
The Steelers will have many different challenges to overcome for the 2022 season. These five games will pose some of the toughest games for them to come out victorious.