Sooner rather than later, we will hopefully learn of the Pittsburgh Steelers' schedule for the 2023 campaign. On Monday, it was reported by Peter King of NBC Sports that there may be a delay in the NFL's release of the schedule. It was originally supposed to come out later this week on Thursday, but that seems to be in limbo now. Supposedly, the NFL isn't exactly done with the process of creating a schedule.
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Will Steelers get first Thanksgiving game since 2016?
With that, we do already know every team's opponents and locations for the 2023 season. It's just a matter of putting it all together for specific dates and such. The Steelers will be facing the NFC West and AFC South as their primary divisions in the upcoming season. Now, let's predict which games on Pittsburgh's schedule wind up in primetime.
Thanksgiving 11/23 @ Ravens
The Steelers haven't played on Thanksgiving since 2016, which was quite the memorable game. Antonio Brown was the star of that one, going for three touchdowns in the 28-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Anyways, before that, these two faced off on Thanksgiving back in 2013, as the Ravens squeaked by with a 22-20 victory in Baltimore. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports predicted this matchup in his article on Monday morning as well.
Monday Night Football @ Rams
Under Head Coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have dominated Monday Night Football. After defeating the Colts in their lone MNF game in 2022, Tomlin is 19-3 in such games in his career. No one wants to face Pittsburgh here, and this may not be the most appealing matchup on paper. The Rams are trending downward at this point after winning Super Bowl LVI, as they moved on from guys like Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, and Allen Robinson this offseason. As we know, the black and gold fanbase travels, and this would be no different.
Credit: Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers wideout George Pickens (#14) celebrates his two-point conversion catch against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football.
Sunday Night Football @ Raiders
2023 will mark the third straight season in which these two legendary sides face off. In 2022, the two played each other on Saturday Night Football at Acrisure Stadium. The anniversary of Franco Harris' legendary catch made for a memorable night, as Kenny Pickett led the Steelers down the field for a game-winning drive. With this year's game in Las Vegas, the NFL would be wise to utilize these two big brands in primetime once again.
Saturday Night Football vs. Bengals
The Steelers used to dominate this AFC North rivalry, winning 10 straight against Cincinnati between 2015 and 2020. Since then though, Joe Burrow and his supporting cast have figured out the Steelers. The Bengals have won four of five games in that span, and this would be a fun matchup for a Saturday evening. The Steelers' lone win in the past five matchups was the season opener last season. Somehow, Pittsburgh scraped by in OT, picking off Burrow four times.
Sunday Night Football vs. 49ers
Another primetime game against an AFC West opponent. Not only is this an intriguing matchup on paper, but like the Raiders argument, these are two of the biggest brands in the NFL. As a result, the league would be crazy to not put these two together for a primetime tilt. The defending NFC champions have arguably the best all-around roster in the NFL, and Pittsburgh is a trendy, young team that is on the rise.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett (#8) rolls out of the pocket against the Las Vegas Raiders in Pittsburgh, PA.
Do you agree with these five primetime game predictions? What other opponents on the Steelers' schedule would make sense for a possible primetime game? Do you think they do land a Thanksgiving game in 2023? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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