The Pittsburgh Steelers 2016 schedule of opponents is now set.
The 2015 NFL season was full of ups and downs for the Pittsburgh Steelers. QB Ben Roethlisberger missed extensive time with injuries and despite Michael Vick and Landry Jones seeing playing time, Pittsburgh was still in the playoff hunt in Week 17 and managed to clinch the final AFC playoff spot.
Regardless of what happens to the Steelers in the playoffs, the team’s 2016 schedule of opponent is now basically set. The NFL’s scheduling formula is actually a lot simpler than many fans realize. 14 of Pittsburgh’s 2016 opponents were known in advance of the 2015 season because the NFL uses a rotating schedule. Only two games each year are up in the air and are determined based on finishing position.
Pittsburgh finished in second place in the AFC North this season and so they will face the other two second place teams from the two AFC divisions that it does not play in 2016. In this case, that means the AFC West and the AFC South.
Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs are the second place team in the West and the Indianapolis Colts are the runners-up in the South. Both of those teams still have a chance to win their division in Week 17, however, so the Steelers opponents could change. If the Chiefs win in Week 17 and the Denver Broncos lose, KC would win the West and the Steelers would play the Broncos. The Colts need basically a miracle to overtake the Houston Texans for the South title and so it is a virtual lock that Pittsburgh will play the Colts in next season, though there is a minuscule chance they could face Houston.
As for the rest of the slate, the Steelers and the rest of the AFC North will be facing the AFC East and the NFC East.
Check out Pittsburgh’s full 2016 schedule of opponents below. The order these games will be played in will be announced when the NFL releases the schedule in the Spring.