Breaking down the 2023 schedule for the entire AFC North

The Steelers 2023 schedule has been reported, dissected, and predicted. This time, the Steelers schedule is going to be compared to their division foes. While 82% of their opponents are the same throughout the AFC North division, whether they face those teams at home or on the road, and when they have their bye weeks are all different factors which could come into play in determining the 2023 AFC North Champion.

Here are several categories to compare schedules across the AFC North. Included in the breakdown are their Week 1 matchups, bye weeks, prime time games, and games against their different opponents from the AFC East, AFC West, and NFC North. To finish things off, we’ll look at who each AFC North team will be facing the week before they take on the Steelers.

Week 1 Matchups:

Ravens: vs. Texans, 1 PM
Browns: vs. Bengals, 1 PM
Bengals: at Browns 1 PM

The only AFC North team opening on the road is the Bengals traveling to the Browns. And all three games involving the division will be at 1 PM to start the season.

Bye Weeks:

Steelers: Week 6
Ravens: Week 13
Browns: Week 5
Bengals: Week 7

Last year all four teams had their bye either Week 9 or Week 10. This year, they are all spread out and the Steelers do not have the earliest one. It’s surprising the Ravens bye does not fall immediately after their international game.

Prime Time/International Games:

Steelers:
Week 2 vs. Cleveland Browns, Monday Night Football
Week 3 at Raiders, Sunday Night Football
Week 9 vs. Titans, Thursday Night Football
Week 14 vs. Patriots, Thursday Night Football

Ravens:
Week 6 at Titans (in London) 9:30 AM
Week 11 vs. Bengals, Thursday Night Football
Week 12 at LA Chargers, Sunday Night Football
Week 15 at Jaguars, Sunday Night Football
Week 16 at 49ers, Sunday Night Football

Browns:
Week 2 at Steelers, Monday Night Football
Week 17 vs. NY Jets, Thursday Night Football

Bengals:
Week 3 vs. LA Rams, Monday Night Football
Week 9 vs. Bills, Sunday Night Football
Week 11 at Ravens, Thursday Night Football
Week 13 at Jaguars, Monday Night Football

Not counting the international game, the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals all have four games in prime time as of now. Three of the teams, the Steelers, Browns, and Bengals could have another one in Week 15 as they are three of the five games possible to be played on Saturday at various times. While the Browns’ two games are spread out as the second game and the second-to-last game of the season under the lights, the Ravens have a six week stretch of four prime time games. The Steelers are the only team in the division that are stuck with two Thursday games.

Uncommon Opponents:

Steelers:
(AFC West) Week 3 at Raiders, Sunday Night Football
(NFC North) Week 10 vs. Packers, 1 PM
(AFC East) Week 14 vs. Patriots, Thursday Night Football

Ravens:
(NFC North) Week 7 vs. Lions, 1 PM
(AFC West) Week 12 at LA Chargers, Sunday Night Football
(AFC East) Week 17 vs. Dolphins, 1 PM

Browns:
(AFC West) Week 12 at Broncos, 4:05 PM
(NFC North) Week 15 vs. Bears, TBD
(AFC East) Week 17 vs. NY Jets, Thursday Night Football

Bengals:
(AFC East) Week 9 vs. Bills, Sunday Night Football
(NFC North) Week 15 vs. Vikings TBD
(AFC West) Week 17 at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 PM

There’s not anything that jumps off the page from these matchups at this time, but they are interesting to note because they are the games where no one else in the division sees the same opponent.

Lead up to the Steelers Games:

Ravens:
Week 4 at Browns, 1 PM
Week 17 vs Dolphins, 1 PM

Browns:
Week 1 vs Bengals, 1 PM
Week 10 at Ravens, 1 PM

Bengals:
Week 11 at Ravens, Thursday Night Football
Week 15 vs. Vikings TBD

Of the six division games the Steelers have, four of them have their opponents coming off another AFC North matchup. While this year the Steelers don’t face any of their division opponents coming off the bye, the Bengals do have the advantage of the mini bye before they host the Steelers the first time.