The exact dates of the Steelers 2007 schedule have not been released, but we do know who our Home and Away opponents will be next year. Let's take a look:
Road Games
Ravens
Bengals
Browns
Patriots
Jets
Broncos
Cardinals
Rams
Home Games
Ravens
Bengals
Browns
Dolphins
Bills
Jaguars
Seahawks
49ers
First of all, there are very few 'gimme' games in this league. It's very hard to gain a substantial edge because of scheduling, but it does happen. This year's New York Jets team definitely benefitted from their schedule, with 5 of their last 6 games coming against mediocre teams.
The Steelers on the other hand, had a fairly brutal schedule, having to face every team from the tough AFC West and the physical NFC South. We did finish 3-1 against the NFC South this year, but our win against the Saints took all we had, and we lost our QB to a concussion against the Falcons.
Next year we play the AFC North and the NFC West. The NFC West simply isn't very good. I'd prefer if we played the Rams at home rather than in St. Louis where they're an above average football team. I am pleased that we get SF and Seattle at home though--both teams are far superior playing at home.
Although I expect us to finish at least 6-2 at home (with possible losses coming to either Cincinnati or Baltimore and Jacksonville), we're going to struggle to finish better than .500 on the road.
Trips to Baltimore and Cincinnati will obviously be a challenge, but it's our out-of-division AFC road games that truly worry me: at New York Jets, at New England, and at Denver.