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The Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled to play simply 4 prime time video games in 2020.
One other Pittsburgh Steelers schedule, one other highway opener.
This would be the sixth consecutive season that the Steelers open away from Heinz Discipline, this time towards the New York Giants, within the ‘early’ Monday Night time Soccer recreation on September 14. It’s additionally the second yr in a row that Pittsburgh will open on nationwide tv.
In fact, if all goes effectively, the sport towards the Giants will mark the common season return of Ben Roethlisberger. In a current interview with NFL Community, Mike Tomlin sounded optimistic that Large Ben will likely be accessible and able to go.
“As we sit right here at the moment, we’re extraordinarily assured in his readiness,” Tomlin stated. “We’re having fun with the method that he’s going by proper now. Clearly, it’s now with out its angst. [Ben] is coming off a season-ending harm and surgical procedure. However we like the place we’re. He’s throwing on a rehab schedule, and it’s going effectively, and we absolutely anticipate him being able to go for that opener.”
As for the eagerly-awaited dwelling opener, that is available in week two, when the Steelers host the Denver Broncos, a workforce with whom Pittsburgh shares a bye (week eight), which would seem to supply scheduling flexibility if that contest must be postponed.
The primary AFC North recreation is week six at dwelling towards Cleveland, which will likely be Myles Garrett’s first look in Pittsburgh since his notorious confrontation with Mason Rudolph final yr.
But the single-biggest recreation of the yr must be the Thanksgiving night time matchup with the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Discipline, the Steelers’ first-ever Thanksgiving Day dwelling recreation. Chances are you’ll recall that the Steelers performed at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night time in 2013, which is best-remembered for the controversy that ensued after Tomlin received in the best way of Ravens returner Jacoby Jones throughout an extended kickoff return, a transfer which will have prevented a Baltimore landing.
The Thanksgiving night time recreation is one among solely 4 prime time video games, versus the utmost of 5 that Steelers followers normally take pleasure in. The opposite prime time tilts come back-to-back in December, at Buffalo and at Cincinnati.
It’s Time for a Pair of ‘Household Feuds’
The Sunday Night time Soccer recreation towards the Payments can also be notable for being a household reunion of kinds. It will likely be the second consecutive yr that security Terrell Edmunds and operating again Trey Edmunds go towards their brother, Payments linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
Much more notable, maybe, is the week three showdown with the Houston Texans at Heinz Discipline, when linebacker T.J. Watt and fullback Derek Watt host Texans defensive finish J.J. Watt and his teammates. Only a guess, however there could also be some smack discuss between the brothers on social media within the run-up to that recreation.
Steelers 2020 Preseason Schedule
As for the preseason schedule, the Steelers are slated to play the Dallas Cowboys within the Corridor of Fame Sport, to be held at Tom Benson Corridor of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on August 6.
However the Corridor of Fame tilt could also be overshadowed by the primary dwelling preseason recreation, which is able to mark Tom Brady’s first look with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Franchise quarterbacks usually don’t play in preseason openers, however with Brady integrating into a brand new group, maybe he’ll take a number of snaps, as may fellow Ex-Pat—or ought to that be expat?—Rob Gronkowski.
In fact, the sport may also be the primary skilled encounter between Steelers’ seventh-round decide Carlos Davis and his twin brother Khalil, who was drafted one spherical earlier by the Buccaneers.
Pittsburgh will conclude the house portion of its 2020 preseason slate with an August 23 recreation towards Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Little question that contest will embrace important taking part in time for backup QB Jameis Winston, intriguing within the sense that Winston stays a longshot candidate to switch Ben Roethlisberger someplace down the highway.
Lastly, Pittsburgh will wrap up its 2020 preseason with a highway recreation towards the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, adopted by the standard preseason finale towards the Carolina Panthers. Usually the Steelers and Panthers alternate dwelling video games, however this would be the second season in a row that the Steelers go to Charlotte to shut out the preseason.
Noticeably absent is the near-annual preseason tilt towards the cross-state rival Philadelphia Eagles. One expects that the groups determined to skip going through off towards one another for simply this one yr, because the groups will collide within the common season, at Heinz Discipline on October 11.