On Thursday, the NFL released its 2023 schedule for all 32 franchises. We’ve already talked about the Pittsburgh Steelers finally getting a home game to open the season after all those years as well as the four prime time matchups. But here are some more interesting takeaways from the schedule.
Early bye week
Getting the bye week in Week 6 is a mixed bag. On one hand, if the Steelers are struggling out of the gate it is a great opportunity to reset, much like the team did last season. But with the opening slate of five games, Pittsburgh could be playing well and a bye week just stops momentum.
2 in a row at home to close out the season
The Steelers always find a way to keep themselves in the playoff hunt, making the final weeks of the season tense. This week the Steelers get to close out the year at home with games against the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens. You can bet that Ravens game will have major playoff implications.
All the rookie quarterbacks
Ok, almost all. But the Steelers do catch a break in that they play the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans, There’s a chance all of these teams are starting rookie quarterbacks which historically has favored the Steelers.
Frequent flyer miles
The Steelers have historically been a team that has traveled the last to play its games. Sometimes by a comically wide margin. But this season the Steelers will be racking up far more frequent flyer miles with road trips to Houston, Los Angeles and Seattle.
