3 games to watch in Week 2 which give perspective on the Steelers future opponents

With the Pittsburgh Steelers having their home opener on Sunday, there will be a multitude of games going on at the same time. When the smoke clears and Steelers Nation looks to see what else has gone on around the NFL, there are a few matchups between two teams the Steelers will face later in the season.

First off, lets check out how the three games from last week ended up. Only one of the three games came down to the wire with a walk-off field goal while the other two were multi-score games. When it comes to the betting lines for the game, the following information is the current consensus spread this week as reported by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Baltimore Ravens (24) at New York Jets (9)

This game wasn’t out of reach until the Ravens put up two touchdowns in the second part of the third quarter. Neither team looked overly impressive running the ball based on the numbers as I had no desire to watch this game while the Steelers were playing. For both these teams, seeing how they fare in their next matchup will give more of an indication as to the quality of the opponent.

Cleveland Browns (26) at Carolina Panthers (24)

While Cleveland has had some question marks at kicker over the years, it seems as if their highly drafted player maybe what they’re looking for as he connected on all four field goals including the game winner from 58 yards. Cleveland took care of the ball which ultimately helped aid them in the victory after the Panthers made an impressive fourth-quarter comeback.

New England Patriots (7) at Miami Dolphins (20)

This game meant a lot for the Pittsburgh Steelers as it featured their next opponent in the New England Patriots. Miami’s defense did the job on the day holding New England to only seven points and under 300 yards of offense and forcing three turnovers. The Steelers will get a more first-hand look this week as to whether or not that was the quality of the Dolphins or if New England is not the team that some believe they could be this season.

For Week 2, here are the three games which could give the most perspective on what the Steelers can expect with some of their future opponents:

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns

Sunday at 1:00 PM on CBS
Spread: CLE (-6.5)

I love getting the additional perspective Week 2 brings. Are the Ravens that much better than the Jets because of the quality of Baltimore or the ineptitude of New York? Did the Browns win a hard-fought game against the Panthers because Carolina is the real deal, or are neither team prepared to make a run at this time? If nothing else, this game gives a look into the Steelers next two opponents.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

Sunday 1:00 PM on FOX
Spread: TAM (-2.5)

The Steelers will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6 of the 2022 season while their matchup against the Saints comes almost a month later following the Steelers bye week. Both of these games will be in Pittsburgh and, with them being NFC matchups, will not bring as much familiarity. Therefore seeing how these teams face off against each other this Sunday will just add more information into the data bank.

Miami Dolphins at Baltimore Ravens

Sunday at 1:00 PM on CBS
Spread: BAL (-3.5)

This is an interesting matchup on Sunday as both teams enter Week 2 at 1–0 and are looking to really get their season rolling. With the Ravens easily disposing of the Jets on the road while the Dolphins kept New England at bay in Miami, each team flips the script as being home or away when they face off Sunday. The Steelers don’t see the Dolphins until Week 7 and their matchups against the Ravens don’t start until December, but seeing how these two teams compare to each other will put these future games in more perspective.

So there are the three main matchups which can give Steelers fans an indication as to the quality of upcoming opponents in 2022. After not knowing what to expect for Week 1, it will be Week 2 which helps but the previous weekend in perspective.

Obviously the Steelers game itself will tell fans the most about the season. But which of these other games will be the most telling as it pertains to the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers? Make sure you vote in the poll and give your thoughts in the comments below.