Predicting the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 regular season schedule

Finally, the NFL schedule is finally coming out and there are only a few things that we know for sure about the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 slate of games. We know that the Steelers are going on the road for their extra game this season, we know that the black and gold won’t be playing an international game, and we know that there’s going to be many a game in prime time again. We also know that the contributors at BTSC enjoy competition and bragging rights as well. With that, editor Dave Schofield and podcast producer Bryan Anthony Davis will square off while predicting when the Steelers play who. With no expectations of getting a single game right, let’s take this for a spin.

If you think mock drafts are pointless, check out this exercise in futility.

---

Week 1 (September 8 - 12)

BAD: at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday Night Football)

Que up Willie Nelson, the Steelers will be on the road again to open up their NFL season. It worked out surprisingly well last year in Buffalo, so I am fine with it due to the fact that the AFC has nine road games this season.

Dave: vs. New England Patriots (Sunday Night Football)

So will the NFL screw the Steelers over for an eighth-straight year of making them begin the season on the road? It’s actually the Pirates fault as they are once again scheduled to play a game at home at 1:35 PM on that Sunday. If the Steelers do open at home, it has to be in prime time on either Sunday or Monday. Am I a fool to believe the NFL comes through?

---

Week 2 (September 15 - 29)

BAD: vs. New York Jets (1 PM)

It could be an early homecoming game for the Steelers against the J-E-T-S, Mess, Mess, Mess

Dave: at Baltimore Ravens (1 PM)

If the Steelers finally open at home, they have got to turn around and go on the road especially since they have the extra away game in 2022. Plus, the last time the Steelers drafted a quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft they traveled to Baltimore the second week of the season.

---

Week 3 (September 22 - 26)

BAD: at Philadelphia Eagles (4:25 PM)

In 2008 and 2016, the battle for Keystone State supremacy occurred in the City of Brotherly Love in Week 3. Maybe the third time will be a charm leading to a victory for the first time in Philly since 1965.

Dave: at Atlanta Falcons (4:25 PM)

With the Steelers on the road to Atlanta it will likely have the game on CBS. It’s not like it’s a stellar match up, but I just feels like a 4:25 PM game to me.

---

Week 4 (September 29 - October 3)

BAD: at Baltimore Ravens (1 PM)

The Steelers usually play the rats around Week 4. I’m calling it for a road tilt in 2022.

Dave: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (1 PM)

Last year the Steelers faced the Raiders early in the season at home (which I correctly predicted last year). I don’t think it’s right to put it the same week, but it fits in well here.

---

Week 5 (October 6 - 10)

BAD: vs. New England Patriots (1 PM)

This doesn’t even feel like a rivalry any longer with Ben and Brady gone. But it’s still Tomlin vs. Belichick, but not national audience-worthy.

Dave: at Buffalo Bills (Monday Night Football)

Going to Buffalo isn’t nearly as bad the earlier the game is in the season. If the NFL had their schedule ready before the draft, they might have thought this was a guaranteed Trubisky homecoming to put in prime time, but now we don’t know who the starter is going to be.

---

Week 6 (October 13 - 17)

BAD: vs. New Orleans Saints (1 PM)

Finally, two home games in a row for the Steelers. It comes against a team that Mike Tomlin has never defeated.

Dave: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4:25 PM)

Tom Brady comes to Pittsburgh for the first time with the Buccaneers. This game at least deserves to be the national game on FOX in the afternoon.

---

Week 7 (October 20 - 24)

BAD: at Miami Dolphins (1 PM)

The Steelers in Miami is never an easy trip, but it typically comes in late October. Here we go again.

Dave: at Cincinnati Bengals (1 PM)

The Steelers need to have at least two AFC North matchups before they reach November.

---

Week 8 (October 27 - October 31)

BAD: vs. Raiders (Monday Night Football)

Steelers at Raiders feels like a throwback to past years of glory. Marketing this storied-rivalry on All Hallows Eve seems right to me.

Dave: at Philadelphia Eagles (1 PM)

Perhaps the Steelers can finally get a win in Philadelphia.

---

Week 9 (November 3- 7)

BAD: BYE

The Steelers usually get stuck with a week off early. This year can’t bring complaints of league-bias against the black and gold as far as the week off goes.

Dave: BYE

Putting the bye as close to the midpoint as possible would be nice since the Steelers have had theirs come early in recent years. I just can’t believe BAD and I picked the same week.

---

Week 10 (November 10 - 14)

BAD: at Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have a great defense that has gotten even better and they are pretty good on offense too. It doesn’t matter when they come up on the schedule, it is going to be a challenge.

Dave: vs. Cleveland Browns (Sunday Night Football)

For some reason, it feels like the Steelers have been put in prime time coming off there bye quite often. Hosting the Browns again under the lights would still give the NFL a good matchup.

---

Week 11 (November 17 - 21)

BAD: at Cleveland Browns

This is the first time the Steelers face the Browns in 2022. It could be Deshaun Watson on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

Dave: at Carolina Panthers (1 PM)

The Steelers get a regular 1 PM road game between two prime time weeks.

---

Week 12 (November 24 - 28)

BAD: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Thanksgiving 8:20 PM)

Again, the Steelers are a good draw for a holiday primetime game. This could be a makeup for the lost Covid game of 2020 that nobody is asking for.

Dave: vs. New Orleans Saints (Monday Night Football)

Rather than go with a Thanksgiving matchup, the Steelers do end up in prime time but must wait until Monday night to square off against the Saints.

---

Week 13 (December 1 - December 5)

BAD: at Atlanta Falcons

The Steelers need to go on the road to face the NFC South, it starts in Atlanta.

Dave: vs. Baltimore Ravens (4:25 PM)

Even with the extra away game, it’s nice to squeeze in back-to-back home games at some point of the season.

---

Week 14 (December 8 - 12)

BAD: at Carolina Panthers

Being on the road against southern teams who are not formidable for the second week in a row is definitely favorable.

Dave: at Miami Dolphins (1 PM)

It’s the longest trip the Steelers have to make all season. But going to Miami in December is a nice break in the weather.

---

Week 15 (December 15 - 19)

BAD: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4:25 PM)

This is a tough part of the schedule, but having the home field here helps. It is definitely primetime worthy.

Dave: vs. New York Jets (1 PM)

The Steelers kick off their last quarter of the season with a ho-hum matchup on the road.

---

Week 16 (December 22 - 26)

BAD: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Christmas Day 4:25 PM)

I definitely don’t want to work Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. Actually, Christmas Day would probably be much easier. With three games on the schedule on 12/25, I see the Steelers getting one of them. Although I doubt that the NFL will make Tom Brady work on Christmas, I’m going out on a limb here.

Dave: at Indianapolis Colts (Thursday Night Football)

I confess this is for completely selfish reasons. Not wanting to have to work on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, it would be much more convenient for the Steelers game to already be complete. Thursday night games are no fun, so might as well fit it in the best possible spot.

---

Week 17 (December 29 - January 2 )

BAD: at Buffalo (Monday Night Football)

No flexing out of a tough and possibly snowy road date.

Dave: at Cleveland Browns (4:25 PM)

I see the NFL doing the same thing as last season and doubling up on division matchups for the final two weeks. This time, the Steelers first one is on the road as they hosted Cleveland in Week 17 last season.

---

Week 18 (January 7-8)

BAD: vs. Cleveland (1 PM)

I really like Dave’s pick below, but I went with the Browns to close out the 2022 schedule. With my selection of Cincy to open the season, something I never recall the Steelers doing, I can’t bookend the Bengals and Steelers.

Dave: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1 PM)

I specifically set up this game first out of the entire schedule. The Steelers will get an AFC North team to finish off, and it hasn’t been the Bengals for quite some time. With these two teams getting the top two spots in the division last season, it seems to make sense.