Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

2. Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

As it is with the home game vs. the Ravens, the Steelers need to find a way to beat the Cleveland Browns when they come to town. At this juncture, you are probably expecting a season split between the Browns and the Steelers with the home teams taking both games. In most years, the Steelers have owned the Browns, but Cleveland should be a playoff team once again this season.

So why is this game a full three spots ahead of the Ravens’ home date? It is simple really. A potential season sweep by the Browns severely jeopardizes the Steelers’ chance of making the AFC Playoffs. This is because we are betting on Baltimore’s football culture to prevail and power them to a top-seven seed, barring some catastrophic injury to a star player like Lamar Jackson.

What this really comes down to is the Steelers cannot afford to have two teams finish above them in the AFC North standings and settle for a third-place finish. That would mean the best they could do in the AFC Playoff picture would be the No. 6 seed. While third-place teams have gotten No. 6 seeds before, every division in the AFC has at least two teams capable of reaching the playoffs.

So while the Steelers can afford to lose on the road to Cleveland and be just fine, a season sweep at the hands of the Browns would largely indicate the 2021 Steelers are a middle-of-the-pack team at best in the AFC. But if you hold serve vs. a Cleveland roster that is probably deeper than yours, you probably have a team capable of going around 10-7 or 11-6 and will make the playoffs.