The Number 1 team isn’t hard to guess
The Steelers are projected to face the hardest schedule in the NFL in 2024.
And while it’s impossible to predict how every team will play ahead of each season, this feels like an opportune time to rank the Steelers’ opponents ahead of the NFL schedule release.
14. New York Giants
May God have mercy on the souls of Giants fans having to once again go through a season with Daniel Jones under center. It’s like sticking your hand in a fire and not pulling it out because you think you’ll grow used to it. The Giants have no quarterback, no receivers outside of Malik Nabers, and no running back that scares anyone. You have to feel for Brian Burns who got traded from the Panthers to the Giants. That’s like going from the electric chair to lethal injection.
13. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have few players that truly scare you. Patrick Surtain is terrific, but the defense lacks much talent around him. Offensively, I’ve seen Bo Nix at the NFL level- it’s called Kenny Pickett. While Sean Payton raises the floor, this should be a game Pittsburgh handles.
12. Washington Commanders
The Commanders are in phase one of a rebuild. They have a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels and a ton of new faces on the roster, as well as a brand new coaching staff under Dan Quinn. I’m not overly optimistic about Daniels at the NFL level, and the Steelers’ defense should feast.
11. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have some star power with Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins on the defensive line, and I liked their draft selections of Brock Bowers and Jackson Powers-Johnson. However, their quarterback will be either Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell, and their offensive coordinator is Luke Getsy. Neither of those are recipes for success.
10. Los Angeles Chargers
The only thing that scares me about the Chargers is Justin Herbert. He’s terrific, but he’s going to be operating under a Greg Roman offense with a bunch of mediocre former Ravens at running back, and without a true No. 1 receiver. There’s a lot the Chargers have to clean up defensively, as well. This game is also at home, so it saves the Steelers a trip out west.
9. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys may be in the final year of the Dak Prescott era, and I can see this being a year where the thought of that and the distraction sees them fall apart.
8. Cleveland Browns
The Browns’ defense will be one of the best in the NFL, once again. However, Deshaun Watson will continue to be their biggest kryptonite.
7. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts were within one throw of making it to the playoffs and winning the AFC South with Gardner Minshew at quarterback. With that Transformer they have at quarterback, Anthony Richardson, I really am intrigued by how good they can be in 2024.
6. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons had a moronic draft, but they still have a defense that was fifth in the NFL last season in success rate, and they got a massive upgrade at quarterback to go with their good collection of young, offensive weapons.
5. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are going to take a step back in 2024 from where they were a season ago. Mike Macdonald is gone, Patrick Queen is gone, Geno Stone is gone, and they still don’t have anyone reliable at receiver not named Zay Flowers. They’ll still be in the playoff picture, but Lamar Jackson has won one game against the Steelers and it came back in 2019.
4. New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers, good weapons, and a terrific defense. This will finally be the year where the Jets get back into the postseason.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles collapsed at the end of the 2023 season, but they’ve upgraded all over their team, including adding Saquon Barkley on offense and drafting both Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean on defense.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
A healthy Joe Burrow with all those weapons is going to be incredibly difficult to handle once, much less twice.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
This doesn’t need explaining. Patrick Mahomes is like taxes- he’s inevitable and only benefits one group of people. The last time he played in Pittsburgh, he threw six touchdowns.