The AFC North Division Title was decided in epic fashion on Sunday at Heinz Field. The New England Patriots have already clinched the AFC East and the Texans have clinched the AFC South while the Raiders have a one-game lead over the Chiefs in the AFC West. As such, the Steelers 2017 schedule is starting to come into focus.
The NFL schedule works on a rotating matrix. Every team plays home and away games against their three division opponents every year. They also face all four teams from one other division within the conference (on a three-year rotation) and all four teams from one division in the opposite conference (on a four-year rotation). The final two games of the schedule consist of opponents that finished in the same spot in the divisional standings in the two other divisions within the conference. Home games and away games rotate each time through the cycle.
For 2017, the intra-conference games will feature the AFC North against the AFC South and AFC East against the AFC West. This last occurred in 2014 when the Steelers won all four games against AFC South opponents. In 2014, the Steelers played in Jacksonville and Tennessee and hosted Indianapolis and Houston at Heinz Field. The rotation will continue in 2017 as the Steelers will travel to Indianapolis and Houston and host the Jaguars and Titans at Heinz Field. Our last trip to Houston was in October 2011 when Arian Foster ran all over the Steelers defense and the Texans won 17-10.
The 2017 inter-conference slate features the AFC North against the NFC North, the AFC East against the NFC South, the AFC South against the NFC West, and the AFC West against the NFC East. The last time the Steelers faced the NFC North opponents was in 2013. They played at Lambeau Field and hosted the Lions and Bears. In 2013, the Steelers and Vikings faced off in London, which counted as a home game for Minnesota. Therefore, the Steelers will host the Packers and Vikings at Heinz Field and travel to Detroit and Chicago. The last time the Steelers had this NFC North travel slate was in 2009 when the Lions were coming off an 0-16 season. They lost a game in Chicago when Jeff Reed missed two field goals and beat Green Bay at Heinz Field on a Mike Wallace last-second touchdown catch. Brett Favre was playing for Minnesota the last time the Vikings visited Heinz Field.
For the final two games of the schedule, the Steelers will face their equivalent-placed teams from the AFC East and AFC West. With the Steelers victory over the Ravens on Sunday, they will face the division champions from the other two divisions. The Patriots have already wrapped up the AFC East and the Raiders have a one-game lead in the West (though the Chiefs hold the tiebreaker). If the Raiders beat the Broncos (or the Chiefs lose to the Chargers) in Week 17, they will win the division and play the Steelers in 2017. The Chiefs need to beat San Diego and need the Broncos to beat Oakland in order to win the division. In 2014, when the Steelers last faced the whole AFC South, they hosted Kansas City and faced the Jets in New York. This will also rotate in 2017 so their AFC East opponent (New England) will come to Heinz Field and the Steelers will face their AFC West opponent (Oakland or Kansas City) on the road.
In conclusion, here is a quick reference chart of the Steelers 2017 home and road opponents:
| 2017 Home Opponents | 2017 Away Opponents |
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