Steelers Will Be Tested With Most Difficult Schedule in NFL in 2008

by Blitzburgh on Apr 15, 2008 3:25 PM EDT in News Comment 38 comments

Thanks to all who have posted in the diaries and comments section, but I wanted to throw this up as well, along with a few thoughts. Tomorrow morning, cgolden and I should have more. Why all the emphasis on the schedule? Well, it matters. Plain and simple. The 2006 Jets snuck in to the playoffs despite being a very mediocre team, and in some regards, our very own Steelers benefitted by playing a very weak NFC West and AFC East last year. To the games:

Guys, we could be a very sound team and win 8 games. That may be hard to swallow if we're playing well and losing a few close games. But that's the reality and as Tomlin says, 'it's a process.' 2008 might be the year where we really grow and endure some hardships while improving, setting up a potential big run in 2009. I hope it doesn't play out that way, but it could.

Short weeks to prepare for the Jags and Colts. Yikes.

Like last year, we better get out of the gates fast. I wrote last year that we needed to start 4-1 or 5-0 given how the back-end of our schedule looked. This year is not much different. There are certainly some tricky games in our first five contests - at Philly, at Cleveland, at Jacksonville - but starting 3-2 or 4-1 sure would be huge, particularly a win against Cleveland.

Weeks 7 through 14 might be one of the toughest two month stretches in all of professional football history. Fortunately we don't have any back-to-back tough road tests, but man oh man do we face some tough teams in that period. Thank God we get the Colts and Bolts at home.

Who knows, but my early guess is that there won't be a Wild Card emerging from the AFC North this year. That probably means it's going to come down to Cleveland (who mind you, also has a tough road to hoe) and Pittsburgh. Week 17 for all the marbles? That sure would be delicious.

More tomorrow and throughout the summer on this and our main competitors' schedules.

Discuss.

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glad

the browns dont have to play the Pats this year :)

by bereadawg on Apr 15, 2008 3:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

home

Most of the browns tuff games are in Cleveland, and last year we did good at home......hope that continues.

by bereadawg on Apr 15, 2008 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

browns

need to look at their schedule. dont have time now, perhaps tomorrow.

or better yet, perhaps you could cut and paste here :)

by Blitzburgh on Apr 15, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

browns 08-09

Cleveland Browns 2008-2009 Schedule

Regular Season
Week Date Opponent Time
1 9/7 Dallas Cowboys 4:15 p.m.
2 9/14 Pittsburgh Steelers 8:15 p.m. (Sunday Night)
3 9/21 at Baltimore Ravens 4:15 p.m.
4 9/28 at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m.
5 10/5 Bye
6 10/13 New York Giants 8:30 p.m. (Monday Night)
7 10/19 at Washington Redskins 1:00 p.m.
8 10/26 at Jacksonville Jaguars 4:05 p.m.
9 11/2 Baltimore Ravens 1:00 p.m.
10 11/6 Denver Broncos 8:15 p.m. (Thursday Night)
11 11/17 at Buffalo Bills 8:30 p.m. (Monday Night)
12 11/23 Houston Texans 1:00 p.m.
13 11/30 Indianapolis Colts 1:00 p.m.
14 12/7 at Tennessee Titans 1:00 p.m.
15 12/15 at Philadelphia Eagles 8:30 p.m. (Monday Night)
16 12/21 Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m.
17 12/28 at Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 p.m.

by bereadawg on Apr 15, 2008 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, a strong start needed

Just like last year when we were 4-1 at the bye week (same week this year as well). A tough schedule, but I am glad that we get SD, Indy, Dallas, and NYG at home--it makes those ones a little less fearful at the time. Not liking on the road to NE or Jax at all. But I would be no more confident if we had those teams at home--they just have our number.

by nerves of steel on Apr 15, 2008 3:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

yea

BUT, NYG were perfect on the road last year, and either DAL, IND, or SD is likely to take us down at heinz as well. 10 wins would be a tremendous accomplishment.

But aagin as BadMaafala mentioned, this speculation is based on expectations of others teams being good. I think we can safely assume that the Colts, Bolts, Pats will all be very good. But it's not a given that the Skins, Eagles, or even Jags and Giants will be as solid as we're expecting right now.

by Blitzburgh on Apr 15, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Biggest Keys

Here's what I think has to happen for the Steelers to make some noise in the 2008 regular season.

Fast start - they have to be 4-0 heading into Jacksonville.
Dominate the Division - The AFC North will most likely be weak again with only the Browns capable of challenging. They can't afford to slip up and drop more than a game to the division.
Be Better on the road - The home schedule is brutal with 3 division winners and the Super Bowl Champion (out of 8) coming to town. If they have an under .500 record on the road again, it'll be a Dawgfight (pun-intended) to get into the playoffs.
Take advantage of what the schedule gives you - Philly will be coming off an emotional Monday Night game at Dallas and Indy will be coming off a game against NE before they travel to Pittsburgh.

by cgolden on Apr 15, 2008 3:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Out of curiosity...

...what are the odds that 9-7 wins our division this year? If it were ever going to happen, this is probably the year.

by HinesField on Apr 15, 2008 3:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

9-7 or 8-8

I'd put money on 9-7 winning it. I might even take 8-8. If we drop one or two in our four vs Cincy and Baltimore and split with the Browns, we're in big trouble.

This should be incredibly fun and tense season. Each week the games are going to be great. No snoozers like vs. SF last year.

by Blitzburgh on Apr 15, 2008 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And the pats have the easiest schedule

sigh

What makes the schedule less burdensome is the ravens, browns and bengals all have top 10 difficult schedules (4) and (7).
And of the 07 afc playoff teams, the jags and titans have tough schedules. It is only the chargers and pats that have cakewalks- and both teams should be winning their divisions anyway.

The only worry is if Cutler progresses, the broncos easy schedule may put them in the playoff race.

The intradivision games are going to be extremely important this season. Taking 4 or 5 of the division games should be enough to take the title.

by vherub on Apr 15, 2008 4:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

NE's schedule

Remember that your strentgh of schedule is based largely on your division opponents. 4 of thier 16 games are against division opponents that won 1 (MIA) and 4 (NYJ) where the Steelers worst divisional opponent was 5-12. Thier rotating divisional opponents (NFC West and AFC West) aren't as tough as the Steelers but that's just the way it goes.

by cgolden on Apr 15, 2008 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

go to

ESPN.com. they have a good article about whether or not a "hard" or "easy" schedule matters. basically it doesn't because the schedulers never play out how they did the year before. many teams won't be as good (i look to San Diego, JAX, and Giants to regress) as last year. the article on ESPN.com also talks about how the team with the 'easiest' schedule going into the year makes the playoffs at about the same rate as the team going in with the 'hardest' schedule so don't know how much I put in the schedule. that said, this year could be an anomaly year as there are so many teams on paper that are very stacked, and we have every single one of them on our schedule. 12-4, AFC North champs for us.

by TheMostViolentTeam on Apr 15, 2008 4:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

saving grace

everyone in our division plays the same teams we do minus NE and SD so as long as we win our division games we should be in good shape.

by schnifin on Apr 15, 2008 4:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sched...

Ok...last year we got hit by a rash of injuries. That leads to a number of questionmarks.

Our O-Line stunk. Troy missed a bunch of games. Ike regressed as the season went on. And Willie went down.

Really, Willie and Ben carried us on offense. Both Hines and Santonio were in and out of the lineup....and we had one of the easier schedules in the league!

We might struggle to go 8-8 this year. Or, if our young LBs progress, Ike and Troy can keep going for a full year, and our O-Line miraculously improves, we could be 11-5. But that's a huge if.

While i feel confident we can beat Houston on opening day, Philly is probably the next worst team on our sked. That's tough. And tough games usually = lots of injuries. So unless our depth improves, I'm kinda scared lookin into this year.

We all of a sudden have a pretty young team. This will be a year to see how we develop.

yourwrong.wordpress.com

by thashyt on Apr 15, 2008 4:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

guys, everything depends on your OL

if you don't get that position fixed, its going to be a very long year for the men in black and yellow.

by Terry on Apr 15, 2008 4:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

It may get so bad that our only solace will be in rooting against the grey and white (or is it grey and blue?) :)

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Apr 15, 2008 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with Tomlin

To win a championship we'd have to beat all these guys anyway. I think this year's team will be considerably better than last year's. Why? All of last year's transition issues will be settled. Tomlin and staff should be much better. Players know what the expectations will be. Ben will be better, O-line will be better if only marginally. Defense should be better. Unless we're unlucky with injuries we should be a very hard out.

BTW, Terry; We get America's team on Pearl Harbor day. Appropriate given what the outcome will be.

by RickVa on Apr 15, 2008 5:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

Agreed that if we want to achieve our ultimate goal of winning a SB, we'll have to go through these teams anyway, but as some have mentioned, these types of brutal games week in and week out take a toll on a team mentally and physically. We might not see the mental toughness benefits until 2009, especially if we endure a bunch of injuries throughout the season.

I'm stoked though. If nothing else, we just get great action as fans in 2008.

by Blitzburgh on Apr 15, 2008 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Question about getting worn down

This talk of our upcoming schedule reminded me of a discussion I saw the NFL Network. They were discussing the types of practices that we were running last season, and whether that lead to our decline in success at the end of the year. Rod Woodson said that we had practices in full pads all year, and he thought that caused our guys to wear down. Has anyone else heard anything like this? Is Tomlin making the error that Tom Coughlin made so many times, running his team into the ground?

Anyway, I don't know the answer to those questions, I just started thinking about it, and wanted to raise them here.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Apr 15, 2008 6:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw

the same broadcast. I remember the articles about training camp in full pads. Tomlin saying his team will be tough. Then at the end of the season we did seem a little worn down. I don't think it is to the Coughlin level, but Tomlin trying to put his stamp on the team. Cowher took over a team from Noll, but the team was on a down swing. The young players and Vets all jumped on board. Tomlin took over a team from Cowher a year from winning the super bowl. There were a lot of Vets calling for Grimm and Whiz to be the new coach. I personally think Tomlin went over board. I am the boss, and this is how it will be. I think it will get better the team becomes more his own and he grows as a coach.

So far Tomlin's impressed me. He seems super focused. I think he will learn from his mistakes, and they won't happen again

by SteelBuckeye on Apr 15, 2008 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I have certainly been impressed with Tomlin as a first year coach. I guess I'm a little cautious and worried that he will learn from some mistakes, but in others, he will just stick with what he does. This year and 2009 will go a long way in telling us how he has changed things. Already, we have seen signs of those changes in the FA signings that we've made. They were signings that didn't make the headlines, but have plugged some role player holes.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Apr 15, 2008 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

The next 2 years will tell. So far I like how the coach and FO seem to be on the same page. Last years draft and FA this year, I have liked.

by SteelBuckeye on Apr 15, 2008 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow!

That may be the toughest schedule I have ever seen. I knew it was going to be rough when they announced who we played. Now seeing how the home and away games are set, it seems even tougher. We could have a very good team lose a few close games and end up 7-9 or 8-8. That being said every year some good team has a down year for no good reason. Some major injuries will affect some good and bad teams, and teams will blow games they shouldn't like us against Ari and Den last year. A few years ago I thought we had a pretty tough schedule and would go 10-6. We went 15-1 with a rookie QB.

This is going to be a fun stressful season to watch. 11-5/10-6 to win the division out right. 10-6/9-7 to win a tie breaker. It's to early to try and predict. We haven't even had the draft yet, but I feel pretty good about this team even before the draft. There's not a team on the schedule we can't beat. We could be 5-7/6-6 going into Dec. and still be in the think of the playoff race.

by SteelBuckeye on Apr 15, 2008 6:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

One thing that hasn't been mentioned

We are going to be on national tv a lot; damn near every week. Good news for fans across the country who don't have Sunday Ticket.

Also want to add support to the comments about how things change. This is an incredibly wicked schedule if we are assuming last years teams. Teams like Cleveland, Jacksonville and Tennessee could be on the upswing or they could be like the Jets or Ravens and fall back into mediocrity or worse. Houston would appear to be an easy first win, but they show signs of being next year's Cleveland. What if New England loses its edge or mystique? Wbat if the Colts are in decline? What if the Bengals and/or the Ravens are resurgent. None of this is out of the realm of possibility.

by RickVa on Apr 15, 2008 8:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

what "IF"

What if Pittsburgh is on the decline????? OMG

by bereadawg on Apr 15, 2008 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We'll know in about two years

but the FO has done a good job of drafting and keeping the right players over the last decade. There have been a couple down years, but those have allowed us to draft a couple key guys (Like Ben). If I were a Browns fan, I would be more concerned about the fact that teams that are very active in free agency rarely improve as much as expected.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Apr 15, 2008 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree again

We will see in the next 2 years how our coach will do, and how our coach and FO have drafted. I hope the Browns are making a minor up swing. I miss the rivalry, but one 10-6 season on a weak schedule( much like we had)doesn't prove you are back. From what I have seen over the years, hard use of the FA market leads to high hopes and disappointment. We will see. :)

by SteelBuckeye on Apr 15, 2008 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

I knew that post would stir up the water, I guess we will see what happens.

by bereadawg on Apr 15, 2008 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hehe

I don't know if it stirred up the waters, but I can't wait till season starts and see what happens.I am a Steeler fan in OH. I lived through the 80's. Now I get more ** from transplanted NE or Dallas fans. I miss the rivalry.

by SteelBuckeye on Apr 15, 2008 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

when's the last time

the Steelers were on the decline? under Cowher I would say I never considered them on the decline, they threw in a couple bad (and bad for the Steelers is 7-9 or so) seasons once in a while but never did it appear they were stuck with a team that was declining for more than a year. it's what happens when you draft well and don't sign older vets to fat, overpaid contracts. keep fresh bodies rotating thru.

by TheMostViolentTeam on Apr 16, 2008 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

If Cleveland plays like they did last year i think some respect is in order. I'll even go out on a limb and make a prediction.........
Week Date Opponent Time
1 9/7 Dallas Cowboys 4:15 p.m.
2 9/14 Pittsburgh Steelers 8:15 p.m. (Sunday Night)
3 9/21 at Baltimore Ravens 4:15 p.m.
4 9/28 at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m.
5 10/5 Bye
6 10/13 New York Giants 8:30 p.m. (Monday Night)
7 10/19 at Washington Redskins 1:00 p.m.
8 10/26 at Jacksonville Jaguars 4:05 p.m.
9 11/2 Baltimore Ravens 1:00 p.m.
10 11/6 Denver Broncos 8:15 p.m. (Thursday Night)
11 11/17 at Buffalo Bills 8:30 p.m. (Monday Night)
12 11/23 Houston Texans 1:00 p.m.
13 11/30 Indianapolis Colts 1:00 p.m.
14 12/7 at Tennessee Titans 1:00 p.m.
15 12/15 at Philadelphia Eagles 8:30 p.m. (Monday Night)
16 12/21 Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m.
17 12/28 at Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 p.m.

There are 9-10 games here the Browns can win "IF" they play like they did last year + a better D-Line.

by bereadawg on Apr 15, 2008 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was just actually thinking...

...that I could probably ditch my NFL Sunday Ticket this year. Decisions, Decisions...

by HinesField on Apr 16, 2008 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Been there, done that

2006. That was our decline. Now if the Dawgs can beat us once next year (There are school age children who have never witnessed this) maybe I'll entertain notions of a decline. Because we would certainly not be ourselves.

by RickVa on Apr 15, 2008 8:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

RE: "Week 17 for all the marbles?"

I was going nuts looking forward to cleveland in Primetime in Week 2 but you may be right.

If this year is like last year, Week 17 could be huge!

"It was an attrition football game and you know we like that."

by showtime on Apr 15, 2008 9:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

welcome

Yeah, it very well coud come down to the final week.

After looking at Cleveland's schedule though, I wonder what might happen if they get off to a rocky start. Their early schedule is fairly tough. They could go 4-1 or 3-2, but I'd guess the odds are slightly more likely that they start 2-3 or worse yet, 1-4. Would they panic and go to Brady Quinn? Would some of the guys who have been around longer clash with the slew of new arrivals? Could be a VERY fascinating year for the Browns. The talents there to challenge the best of the AFC; but my initial thoughts are that all the ingredients are there for a uber dramatic if they get out of the gates slowly against that tough early slate of games.

Anyway, I'd rather it not come down to Week 17, but we're here for entertainment, so if it happens, great!

by Blitzburgh on Apr 16, 2008 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

dramatic roller coaster is what i meant to say

left out that roller coaster part. Whoops.

by Blitzburgh on Apr 16, 2008 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ESPN article

called our schedule the toughest in recent history...of course, it's all based on projections of last years records and things can change...

The article went on to say how in years past, the best record teams could amass playing this difficult of schedule(actually a schedule less difficult than ours) was 10-6.

So, 2008 may be a year where we finish 10-6 or 9-7 and actually be a much better team than we were in 2007...as we proved in 05/06 you just have to make it to "the dance" and anything can happen.

by SteelerMike on Apr 16, 2008 4:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah

The nice thing about this type of season is that if we make the playoffs off that schedule, we will had to have defeated a lot of really good teams. We're playing the cream of the crop in the AFC and getting to the playoffs will mean we're a hell of a contender.

As per most years, I see this year coming down to injuries and whether we can keep enough people healthy in key positions to not lose games that we should win.

by Chicago Steeler on Apr 17, 2008 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs