The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone through a major offseason of change this year with Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown leaving town. Bell sat out the entire 2018 NFL season due to a contract holdout, while Brown had major issues with the team late in the year.
Despite losing two of their biggest stars, the Steelers are confident that they can remain relevant in the AFC playoff race. Ben Roethlisberger is still in town and both James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster are ready to step up for the team. If those two players can play to their full talent level, the Steelers should be able to replace the production lost by Bell and Brown.
Surprisingly, the Cleveland Browns are being viewed as the favorites to win the AFC North. They made some big moves this offseason, including acquiring Odell Beckham Jr. in a blockbuster trade with the New York Giants. Even with those moves, some in the media are reluctant to place the Browns over Pittsburgh.
Looking at the 2019 schedule, the Steelers are going to have some very tough matchups. They have the talent to remain relevant, but it won't be easy.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at the three most important games on the 2019 schedule for the Steelers.
3. Week 9 vs. the Indianapolis Colts
First up on the list are the up-and-coming Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck and company showed last season that they are going to be a team to be reckoned with for years to come.
Add in the fact that Chris Ballard made some major additions for the Colts this offseason and they are going to be an even tougher team to beat. Pittsburgh will have to take care of business at home in this matchup. Both offenses are going to be lethal, so it should come down to which defense can make a big play or two down the stretch.
2. Week 10 vs. the Los Angeles Rams
That's right, just one week later the Steelers are going to have their hands full again at home. Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams will come to town and are the defending NFC champions. They came up short to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl last year, but they are going to be a dominant team once again.
Pittsburgh will have back-to-back tests in this stretch and they need to come away with at least one win. Beating the Rams would be a huge win for the Steelers.
1. Week 1 at the New England Patriots
Finally, the Steelers are going to start their season with a massive test. Hitting the road to take on the New England Patriots in Week 1 is never an easy draw for any team. Despite the test, Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have to feel good about getting an idea of how good their team will be to start the season.
The Steelers are not going to be favored to win this game. Even though they may not win, they have to prove that they can compete with an elite team in Week 1.
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