Here's to hoping the Pittsburgh Steelers start off 2023 with a bang!
The 2022 season is shaping up to be one filled with unknowns, challenges, opportunities for young players, and, as always, tons of AFC North bloodbath action. The schedule for Pittsburgh this season was just released, and many Steeler Nation faithful noticed something right off the bat: not only do we get another five primetime games this year (perks of being a world-famous franchise), but the Steelers also play on Christmas Eve as well as New Year's Day. Playing on holidays is nothing new for the Black and Gold. While their record on Thanksgiving is a less than ideal 2-6 since their founding in 1933, their records on Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, Halloween, and New Year's Eve are all above .500.
(From Left to Right) Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Michelle Tafoya, and Ben Roethlisberger eat turkey after a win against the Colts. via Twitter @Steelers
Nothing compares to New Year's Day however for Pittsburgh. The Steelers love to ring in the New Year with a solid win, especially when those wins come against AFC North opponents. Since 1978 (the first year of the 16-game schedule), the Steelers have played four games on New Year's Day: three in the regular season, and one in the playoffs.
Steelers Success on New Year's Day
The first, oddly enough, was the sole playoff game. It was the 1983/84 postseason, and Pittsburgh had a respectable record of 10-6. After a decade of pure success, and heading into the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Chuck Noll and company were looking to continue the Steel Curtain Dynasty. That, however, would be furthest from the reality. Headed up by quarterback Cliff Stoudt (Remember him?), the Steelers were completely steamrolled by the Los Angeles Raiders by a score of 38-10.
You may be thinking: wait, I thought you said the Steelers are good on New Year's Day? Now they're getting unabashedly beaten to a pulp by their at-the-time archrival? What's going on? Well, despite the embarrassment of the 1983/84 playoffs, Pittsburgh would never have to worry about New Year's Day playoff football again: those dark days were behind them. The regular season, though, loomed large.
The team would not play again on New Year's Day until the 2005 season. With a slightly better record of 11-5, and second year quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the helm (Remember him?), this Steelers squad would do some big game hunting, beating the Detroit Lions by a score of 35-21. Finally, with the New Year's Day monkey off their back, the team could coast forward to their next matchup; and coast they did, winning their fifth Super Bowl title that year (in Detroit no less), and cementing Roethlisberger as a mainstay in the league.
Hines Ward scores a touchdown in Super Bowl XL. via Steelers.com
The Steelers would have to wait again for another New Year's Day battle, though not as long this time. The 2011/12 season saw Pittsburgh taking on the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns. As is Steelers tradition, they beat the Browns by a score of 13-9. With a record of 12-4 to finish the season, the team would end up taking a trip to Arlington for Super Bowl XLV against the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, Steeler Nation remembers the pain of that game all too well. Still, the New Year's Day tradition continued on.
The last matchup to start the new year came during the 2016 season. A little taste of the past, the Steelers again beat the lowly Browns by a score of 27-24 in overtime. What else is new? To be fair, it wasn't exactly an even matchup; the Browns posted a record of 1-15 that season, compared to the 11-5 record by the Steelers. Even with the Steelers resting many of their starters (Landry Jones would get the starting nod at quarterback), they were still able to eke out a win, keeping their streak alive.
Former Steelers quarterback, Landry Jones (#3). via CBS Sports
So, with an undefeated regular season record of 3-0 on New Year's Day, the Steelers once again are poised to reign in the New Year, this time against the rival Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Teams change, players change, but tradition doesn't. Even with a revamped offense featuring Kenny Pickett instead of Roethlisberger, I'm going with past precedent. I'd be taking the Steelers to beat the Ravens in a close, violent, ugly matchup. New Year's resolution, anyone?
For any Steeler Nation detectives out there, you've probably noticed that two out of the three New Year's Day wins sent us rocketing to the Super Bowl. Sure, it's probably a coincidence, but why not believe it to be fate?
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