Steelers 2015 Schedule: List of opponents to include Indianapolis and New England with a Week 17 win

Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Arizona, Oakland, San Francisco, Arizona, Houston/Indianapolis

Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, San Diego, St. Louis, Seattle, New England/Miami

The future Steelers might, in a small way, root for a loss in Sunday's AFC North division title game.

With a nasty schedule on deck that already features five 2014 playoff teams as well as the possibility of another three, a loss Sunday against the Bengals would give the Steelers games against the Houston Texans (home) and the Miami Dolphins (away), as opposed to having a road game against the Patriots and a home game against the Colts.

A win would mean they could be playing both the AFC and NFC's 2014 top seeds (New England and Seattle, a favorite to clinch home field advantage Sunday) in 2015.

Irons sharpens iron is the phrase usually tossed around when a tough schedule is revealed, and the Steelers have been examples of that in 2014. Despite having what will likely end up being one of the easier schedules of the playoff field, it's possible all five of their losses this year came against non-playoff teams. The Ravens (9-6) need to defeat Cleveland Sunday and see Kansas City top the Chargers in order to advance. If that happens, the Steelers will have the chance to play Cincinnati, possibly going against playoff teams.

Heading into Week 17, they have wins wins over Carolina and Atlanta (one of those teams will be the NFC South champion), Indianapolis and Cincinnati. A Steelers win over the Bengals coupled with a Ravens win and San Diego loss would send Baltimore to Pittsburgh for a wild card round game, and it would boost the Steelers' record against playoff teams to 5-1 - their lone loss coming against Baltimore in Week 2.

A loss would the same scenario involving the Ravens clinching a post-season berth would move them to 4-2, and send them to Indianapolis to take on the Colts in the wild card round.