Three Biggest Games: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers turned a significant corner last season, notching their first playoff win since losing Super Bowl XLV to the Green Bay Packers. It came in the most unlikely of circumstances, with the Bengals imploding in the final minute to keep their playoff losing streak alive. But if the first 59 minutes of that game are any indication, 2016 will be another bloodbath for the AFC North crown. As always, the road to a prosperous season runs through the division for Pittsburgh.

Week 7 vs. New England

Tom Brady is just about unstoppable against the Steelers. In Foxboro, he’s basically Superman, and Pittsburgh has nary a kryptonite spear nor a certain bat-suited detective to help slow him down. Luckily for the Steelers, this mid-season blockbuster will be in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers went 6-2 last year and treated fans to some explosive offensive displays. When the two heavyweights met in week 1 last year, offensive stagnation and defensive miscommunication killed the Steelers. In week 7, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Week 15 at Cincinnati

Common sense prevailed among the schedule makers this year. The Steelers will enjoy one match against the Bengals without needing to game plan for volatile Cincy defender Vontaze Burfict. That matchup will happen in week 2, but by week 15, Pittsburgh’s luck will have run out. In front of a rabid, hostile crowd with playoff seeding almost certainly on the line, this one could get ugly quick. Two of the hottest teams in the AFC met three times last year, but never once was either squad close to full strength. For football’s sake, hopefully both teams will enter (and exit) this one with health intact.

Week 16 vs. Baltimore

Three games for three losses – each one disappointing in its own way. It’s been far too long since Pittsburgh has beaten its longtime arch rival, and the regular season’s penultimate week would be the perfect time to break that trend. In their last three clashes, the Ravens defeated the Steelers in the 2014 wild card, a Mike Vick-led team in overtime, and a healthy Steelers unit facing Ryan freakin’ Mallett at quarterback. If Baltimore can avoid the injuries that plagued it last year, there’s no reason to believe the division won’t be a three-horse race. One of those three could be playing for their season as early as this week. Failure will not be an option.