Pittsburgh Steelers’ schedule prediction results

Thursday, April 20th, the NFL released the 2017 schedule. Prior to any leaks, this writer took a stab at the schedule. Now, if the prediction was a graded test, this writer would just receive an “E” for effort.

The schedule is hard to predict; even if one knows the opponents when you factor in the numerous requests and conflicts. This writer finished worse than the Cleveland Browns last year on his schedule prediction, 0-16. However, the logic and thinking did hit on several teams.

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Here is the painful comparison between prediction and reality; I actually like what the NFL did for the Steelers, especially in the first quarter of the season.

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 10; at Cleveland Brown, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals

We thought this would be an away game with the University of Pittsburgh facing Penn State in College Station. The divisional battle will start out with the Steelers facing a revamped Browns with 11 rookie selections in the NFL draft on Thursday.

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 17; vs Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Chicago Bears

Week 2 is the start of back-to-back NFC North opponents. The Vikings started hot out-of-the-gate last year and fell apart at the end of the season. They are an enigma but this writer likes the fact the Steelers play them early in the season.

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 24; at Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: Tennessee Titans

The Bears had a rough year last year. With new quarterback, Mike Glennon, they are a wild card. However, new systems take time to learn and facing one week 3 is great news for the Steel Curtain.

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 1; at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Cleveland Browns

A division game to end the first quarter of the season is nice to have. The Steelers will have to face two divisional opponents in the first four weeks; a great opportunity to jump to an early divisional lead.

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8; vs Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: New England Patriots

This writer thought the Jags would be on the schedule early in the year. With a new coaching staff in Jacksonville, the earlier the Steelers play them, the better. The writing team had them slated for Week 7 but Week 5 is a great fit for the Steelers with the Kansas City Chiefs game the following week.

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15; at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. ET

Prediction: Minnesota Vikings

We thought the NFL would send the Vikings to the east coast before they battled Cleveland in London. However, they were sent to our divisional rival Baltimore and not Pittsburgh. Kansas City will be a nice matchup for the Steelers in the late afternoon game.

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 22; vs Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: Jacksonville Jaguars

This first of the two match ups with the Bengals comes the weekend before Halloween. We need to play the divisional rivals twice each year. Week 7 and week 13 gives the Steelers a solid month between their most competitive rival.

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 29; at Detroit Lions, 8:30 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Kansas City Chiefs

We believed that week 8 would be a nice matchup for the NFL because traditionally this is the week with the most teams on bye. We didn’t land the correct team, but the NFL delivered with a Sunday Night Football game; as we predicted, at Detroit.

Week 9: Bye Week

Prediction: Away versus the Baltimore Ravens

This bye-week comes at a great time. The NFL schedule makers put the black and gold’s bye week in week eight last year. Later always seems to be better when talking about a bye-week.

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12; at Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET

Prediction: Bye-week

This writer was hoping the Colts would be the team the Steelers faced out of the bye and that is what happened. This will give the Steelers an extra week to scheme for Andrew Luck and the Colts. The Steelers did beat the Colts handily last year 28-7.

Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 16; vs Tennessee Titans, 8:25 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Indianapolis Colts

The Steelers’ Thursday Night Game comes in the week we thought it would but with a different opponent. Thursday night games are crap shoot and with the rising Titans coming to town, this should be a fun game to watch.

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 26; vs Green Bay Packers, 8:30 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Cincinnati Bengals

This game goes two weeks earlier than predicted but a great matchup over the Thanksgiving break. The Pack have been worse at home than usual the past couple seasons, but with the mini bye following the Thursday game the Steelers should be ready for this game. Ratings will be through the roof with two historic teams face off on Sunday Night Football.

Week 13: Monday, Dec. 4; at Cincinnati Bengals, 8:30 p.m. ET

Prediction: Cleveland Browns

One week off for the Bengals game isn’t bad since my prediction record is what it was. This kicks off back-to-back divisional match ups. The Steelers go from Sunday Night football to Monday Night football in back-to-back weeks.

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10; vs Baltimore Ravens, 8:30 p.m. ET

Prediction: Green Bay Packers

Assuming the week 15 opponents would not have been the Patriots, this writer thought this would be a good fit to host the Packers. The black and gold will take on the divisional rival Ravens for the final time this season; another prime time game. This is the fourth-straight

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 17; vs New England Patriots, 4:25 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Houston Texans

We believed that this final stretch of games would be big as the AFC teams battle for playoff seeding but we didn’t think the AFC Championship Game would fall so late into the season. Is this a playoff preview? This writer hopes so, unless the Patriots miss the playoffs.

Week 16: Monday, Dec. 25; at Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET

Prediction: Away versus the Detroit Lions

This writer liked the idea of having the Steelers playing indoors over the holiday. This a week later then expected but the NFL decided to put this game in the late afternoon to capture a bigger market.

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31; vs Cleveland Browns, 1:30 p.m. ET

Prediction: Baltimore Ravens

We knew that the Steelers needed to have a divisional opponent. The Steelers faced the Browns in week 17 in the 2016 season as well. This writer believed the NFL would change this game from last year; the Steelers have to be looking at this game and smile, thinking they have a great chance to get a win heading into the playoffs.

Finish

The schedule broke well for the Steelers in the first quarter of the season. The string of prime time games in five of the last seven games, showcases how well the NFL schedule makers and TV networks think the 2017 Steelers will finish. Let’s hope the black and gold can live up to expectations and finish the 2017 regular season as well as they did in 2016. Only time will tell.

Check back for this writer’s pre-draft, way too early, 2017 Pittsburgh Steelers’ schedule breakdown and prediction.

Scott Menk writes about the Steelers for cover32 and is excited for the opportunity to cover the only NFL team with six Lombardi Trophies. Scott can be followed on Twitter @SGMENK.

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