3 Make-or-Break Games on Steelers 2022 Schedule

Schedules for each of the 32 NFL franchises were officially released on Thursday night as excitement is starting to grow across the country. Football may still be months away, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are already working hard in hopes of earning their third consecutive playoff berth.

When looking at the Steelers schedule, a few marquee matchups stick out from the rest. These games are set to have major impacts on Pittsburgh's hopes for an amazing 2022 season. With that being said, let's dive deeper into the three make-or-break games for head coach Mike Tomlin's team.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Schedule

1. Week 6: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:00 p.m. ET)

The Steelers will have five weeks to lock down who their starting quarterback is going to be before a huge home matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The fact that this game is being played at Heinz Field gives Pittsburgh a real shot at pulling off an upset compared to their Week 5 road game against the Buffalo Bills. Whether it is five-year pro Mitchell Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett taking the snaps, beating Tom Brady would go a long way in getting the ball rolling in the right direction. Being dominant in front of their own fans is the best way for the Steelers to sneak into the postseason.

2. Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday Night Football)

A Week 1 battle against the Bengals is surely going to be one to keep an eye on as well, but Week 11's showdown has a much bigger impact on the season. It's a lot to ask of the Steelers to go to Paul Brown Stadium and grab a win to kick off the season. Meanwhile, showing the rest of the AFC North that they aren't messing around by beating the reigning AFC Champions in front of a national audience is not an unrealistic outcome here. Pittsburgh dominates the all-time series against Cincinnati (67-38), but has lost each of its last three games against them. Star players like linebacker TJ Watt and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick have to have this one circled on their calendars.

3. Week 18: vs. Cleveland Browns (TBD)

This Week 18 matchup go go in a number of different ways. It could be a meaningless game between two non-playoff teams. It could also be a battle that determines which team reigns supreme atop the AFC North standings. No matter what, it's a game Steelers fans want to see their favorite team win. Pittsburgh has defeated Cleveland in 11 of its last 15 head-to-head matchups against them, but has never faced the Browns with quarterback Deshaun Watson leading the way. That will change in Week 3 and then again here in Week 18. Beating a divisional rival to earn a spot in the postseason seems like a great way to cap off the 2022 regular season.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.