The Pittsburgh Steelers surprised a lot of people when they began 8-5 in 2019 without Ben Roethlisberger under center. They ended up losing their final three games which cost them a spot in the playoffs. With their future Hall of Fame quarterback returning from elbow surgery, the team will look to avoid another collapse.
The AFC North is going to be a division with plenty of eyes on it. The Baltimore Ravens will be expected to win with the Steelers right behind them. Many will look to see how Joe Burrow fares in his first season, and the Cleveland Browns are always an intriguing topic of conversation.
Here, we will take a look at the Steelers' schedule and try to predict how it will play out game-by-game. Of course, this is given that their quarterback and running back can stay healthy all year.
Week 1 – at New York Giants: Win
The site of this game does not matter. The Steelers are a far superior team in this matchup and it will show early on. Pittsburgh usually loses a game throughout the season that they are not supposed to, but it will not be Week 1 at MetLife.
Week 2 – Denver Broncos: Win
Pittsburgh returns to Heinz Field in Week 2 off a double-digit win over the Giants. Roethlisberger will not want to lose his first game back at home. The defense will be key in this one as the Broncos have drastically improved their offense. But, it will take time to put together and the Steelers will take advantage of the youth.
Week 3 – Houston Texans: Loss
All three Watt brothers will take the same field for the first time in their NFL careers. Again, this is another game where the defense will need to take over. Even without DeAndre Hopkins' presence, Deshaun Watson will be too dynamic for Pittsburgh to handle.
Week 4 – at Tennessee Titans: Win
Are the Titans for real? Is Ryan Tannehill the answer? The only certainty in Tennessee is the dominance of Derrick Henry in the backfield. This is a new year and the magic has run out from last year's postseason. Pittsburgh will contain Henry enough to avoid a two-game losing streak.
Week 5 – Philadelphia Eagles: Win
This is an incredible early season matchup. The Eagles added some speed at wide receiver. Two injury-plagued quarterbacks will look to stay on the field and deliver a shootout. Everyone is so high on the Eagles this season but Heinz Field is not an easy place to play, even if fans are not present. Steelers pick up a statement win.
Week 6 – Cleveland Browns: Loss
It's a trap. The Steelers are coming off a big win over Philly and have their toughest game of the year coming in the following week. The Browns have not won on the road against the Steelers since 2003. Realistically, this trend should continue but remember the talk of Pittsburgh always losing one game they shouldn't? Here it is.
Week 7 – at Baltimore Ravens: Loss
This is one of the best rivalries in the NFL. Pittsburgh and Baltimore have battled over the years but this should not be much of a contest. It is the Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs at the top of the AFC, and by a wide margin.
Week 8: BYE
Week 9 – at Dallas Cowboys: Loss
See how the Browns loss in Week 6 can really hurt? The NFL did the Steelers no favors after their bye with giving them a trip to Jerry World. The Cowboys are much improved after a strong showing in the draft. They are expected to contend in the NFC and they can do so by defending home field.
Week 10 – Cincinnati Bengals: Win
The schedule eases up significantly with three of the worst teams in the league coming up. It begins with Burrow's first career game against Pittsburgh. This is a much win game for the Steelers and they make a big statement in this one with a blowout win.
Article Continues BelowWeek 11 – at Jacksonville Jaguars: Win
This is another game where the site does not matter. The Jaguars are expected to be in the basement this season with Gardner Minshew under center. Pittsburgh can clean up in this one with no worries of looking ahead.
Week 12 – Baltimore Ravens: Loss

It is extremely tempting to take the Steelers to split with Baltimore. With the level of the Ravens, it may not get done. This matchup will be much closer than the previous one in Baltimore, but the Steelers do not have enough to steal it at home.
Week 13 – Washington Redskins: Win
This is the third game in four at home for the Steelers. Washington will be looking to take advantage of a beat-up team coming off a game against the Ravens. Chase Young could run wild but the Redskins' offense is less than impressive. Points will be hard to come by against that Steeler defense. Pittsburgh gets in the win column, but it could be closer than expected.
Week 14 – at Buffalo Bills: Win
Sunday Night Football in Buffalo. This will be an absolute battle in cold weather for two franchises that are used to it. This is what we look for in primetime football. Both teams have strong defenses and could lean on the running game in this one. Just like their classic losses, there are games that the Steelers seem to always pull out. This has the strange feel of one of them.
Week 15 – at Cincinnati Bengals: Win
Second straight nationally televised game for the Steelers. This should be the same result as their first matchup with Burrow and the Bengals. By Week 15, Cincy should be looking forward to another top-five pick and Pittsburgh should have their eyes on the Wild Card round.
Week 16 – Indianapolis Colts: Loss
Philip Rivers cannot go out like this. He has to show up for one more year with the Colts. Who knows how the AFC will play out. This could be an important game for the Colts in the Wild Card race or in the AFC South. Rivers needs to come up with a big game against his veteran counterpart.
Week 17 – at Cleveland Browns: Win
Revenge is the keyword here. By Week 17, the roof would have already collapsed on the Browns' hopes. They are already looking to the offseason in this one while the Steelers tune up for the playoffs.
Steelers' 2020 Record Prediction: 10-6