The Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off the NFL’s 2015 regular season at the New England Patriots in Week 1 (Sept. 10) on Thursday night (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
The primetime matchup will be one of five Nationally Televised games for the Steelers.
Based on opponents records from the 2014 season, the Steelers boast the toughest schedule in the NFL.
The other four Nationally Televised games include Pittsburgh hosting the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field in Week 4 (Oct. 1) on Thursday Night Football before traveling to San Diego for a Monday Night Football (ESPN, 8:30) matchup at the Chargers in Week 5 (Oct. 12).
Whether the Chargers have Philip Rivers behind center for that game remains to be seen as Rivers is at the forefront of trade rumors.
The Steelers other two primetime games take place in Weeks 13 and 16, both on Sunday Night Football (NBC, 8:30 p.m.). The Steelers and Indianapolis Colts will square off in Week 13 (Dec. 6) at Heinz Field for the second straight season and the Steelers travel to Baltimore in Week 16 (Dec. 27) for a late season matchup.
The Steelers who had one of the easiest schedules in football last season, face an upper echelon group of quarterbacks this season.
Among them:
Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco twice, and possibly Rivers if he stays put in San Diego.
One of the most intriguing games on the Steelers schedule is a week 6 matchup at home vs the Arizona Cardinals where Bruce Arians, two time NFL coach of the year, returns to the Pittsburgh after being fired by the team at the end of the 2011 season.
The Cardinals with a healthy Carson Palmer project to be among the top contenders in the NFC.
The Steelers have a brutal stretch in the schedule from Week 12-16 where they are @ Seattle, vs Indianapolis, @ Cincinnati, vs Denver and @ Baltimore in a five game stretch.
The Steelers’ bye week will be on Nov. 22 (Week 11) and they finish the season @ Cleveland.