The dates and times will be announced some time this Spring, but the Pittsburgh Steelers already know their 2014 opponents and the sites of the games.
In addition to the normal slate against AFC North rivals, next season the Steelers and their fans will welcome Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts, and the new coaches of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans to Heinz Field. The other non-division opponent on the Steelers' 2014 home schedule will be the Kansas City Chiefs, whose coach, Andy Reid, should be in line for a respectful round of applause from the home crowd for the way he played to win last Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
Unlike 2013 when the Steelers had trips to California and London during a four-week segment of their schedule, there are no long trips on the docket for 2014.
The longest trip will be to Florida, but to the northern part of the state to play the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Steelers will give their fans living below the Mason-Dixon Line three chances to see them in person, with trips to Atlanta, to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers, and to Nashville for a game against the Tennessee Titans. The Steelers other non-division road game will entail a quick trip to Northern New Jersey to face the New York Jets.
The following is the 2014 Steelers schedule, with opponents listed alphabetically:
HOME: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay
AWAY: Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New York Jets, Tennessee
2014 SCHEDULE NOTES
* There are five teams on the upcoming schedule that qualified for the 2013 playoffs: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New Orleans, and Carolina.
- Seven opponents on the upcoming schedule finished 2013 on the plus side of turnover ratio: Kansas City (plus-18), Indianapolis (plus-13), Carolina (plus-11), Tampa Bay (plus-10), Cincinnati (plus-1), Tennessee (even), and New Orleans (even).
- The Steelers' upcoming opponents are better defensively than offensively, based on their 2013 statistics. Only five of the teams ranked in the top half of the NFL in total offense – New Orleans, Cincinnati, Houston, Atlanta, and Indianapolis – while eight of their opponents ranked in the top half of the league in total defense – Carolina, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Houston, Cleveland, New York Jets, Baltimore, and Tennessee.
- Six teams on the 2014 schedule have won a Super Bowl: Baltimore, Indianapolis, Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and the New York Jets.
- Since 1992, and including 2014, the Steelers will have played the Kansas City Chiefs 13 times. Next season will mark just the third game in Pittsburgh.
- Since 1992, and including 2014, the Steelers will have played the New York Jets 12 times. Next season will mark the fifth game in New Jersey.
- The Steelers are 13-2 against the Colts in Pittsburgh, with the losses having come 40 years apart – in 1968 and in 2008.
- In their last three games against the Atlanta Falcons, the Steelers are 1-1-1.
