This is going to be a proving year for the Steelers' young defensive core. And how that group handles the 2021 schedule, now officially the NFL's toughest, could tilt how the roster is built after the Ben Roethlisberger era.
The league's owners meet tomorrow and are expected to approve all teams getting a 17th regular-season game. As a result, the Steelers are expected to get the Seahawks as the additional opponent to their 2021 schedule with a game at Heinz Field.
Adding the 12-4 NFC West champions of 2020 only solidifies the Steelers' strength of schedule in the NFL. Between their 17 opponents, including the Seahawks, the combined 2020 records of the Steelers' opponents was 155-115-2. That's a .574 winning percentage, or three wins more than the opponents of the Ravens, who have the second-toughest schedule.
Seven of the Steelers' games are set between six opponents whose scoring offenses finished in the top ten last year. That includes the Chiefs, Packers, Bills, Titans, Seahawks and the two times they'll face the Ravens.
Funny thing: The Steelers had the NFL's easiest schedule in 2020.
When the defense added Devin Bush and Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2019, it finished fifth overall and signaled great potential behind those young players, T.J. Watt and others. But the argument could be made in 2019 that the defense thrived off beating less talented quarterbacks, forcing them to prove themselves again in 2020. They did that by improving and finishing third in both scoring and total yards allowed, as well as leading the league in interceptions. But now they'll have to prove it within the tougher schedule and the departures of Bud Dupree, Steven Nelson, Mike Hilton and Vince Williams.
If this group delivers another year within the NFL's top five defenses, against this schedule, the Steelers' front office will have no choice but to invest its 2022 salary cap into that side of the ball primarily, even if it proves extremely expensive. If the defense falters, it may lead to some surprising departures sooner than anyone might expect.
YOUR TURN: How much will this schedule impact the Steelers in 2021 and beyond?
