NFL Schedule 2021: Steelers, Raiders, Bears Have Toughest Slates In 17-Game Season

Some NFL teams might have been happier than others when schedules were released for the 2021 season. A few teams seemingly face particularly tough slates over the course of 18 weeks.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most difficult 17-game schedule, based on the final 2020 standings. The team’s opponents for the upcoming season had a combined .574 winning percentage last year.

It doesn’t help that Pittsburgh plays in the NFC North, which sent three teams to the postseason. The Steelers have four total games against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, both of whom reached the divisional round of the playoffs.

The Steelers won the division but were upset by the Browns on Wild-Card Weekend.

As the reigning division champions, Pittsburgh will face every AFC team that finished in first place. The Steelers are scheduled to play the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills on the road. The Tennessee Titans will visit Pittsburgh.

In addition to taking on the NFC North, the Steelers have to play one more out-of-conference game because of the expanded schedule. That matchup will come against the Seattle Seahawks on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 6.

Baltimore technically ranks second in strength of schedule, but another team might end up facing a more treacherous set of games in 2021.

The Las Vegas Raiders have the second-most difficult schedule based on every team’s win projection for the upcoming season, according to The Athletic. Several Raiders’ opponents are expected to be much improved after a poor 2020 campaign.

Las Vegas will take on the NFC East, which was one of the worst divisions in NFL history last season with every team finishing below .500. The Dallas Cowboys should be much better now that Dak Prescott is healthy. The New York Giants or Philadelphia Eagles could be improved after both teams had double-digit losses.

Every AFC West opponent could give the Raiders trouble. There’s still speculation that Aaron Rodgers could find his way to the Denver Broncos. The Los Angeles Chargers are viewed as a playoff contender with a new coach and Justin Herbert entering his second season.

It could be a rough start to the season for the Raiders with matchups against the Ravens, Steelers and Miami Dolphins in Weeks 1-3.

The Chicago Bears rank ahead of all NFC teams, facing opponents that had a .550 winning percentage last season. Even if Rodgers doesn’t play for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago has plenty of difficult matchups on the schedule.

It starts in Week 1 when the Bears visit the Los Angeles Rams in primetime. The Rams are considered a top Super Bowl contender with Matthew Stafford replacing Jared Goff at quarterback.

The Bears have eight games scheduled against teams who made the playoffs, including a Week 7 meeting with the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Before a Week 10 bye, Chicago has a stretch of games in Weeks 6-9 against the Packers, Bucs, 49ers and Steelers that could determine the direction of their season.

It will be interesting to see if and when rookie quarterback Justin Fields starts for the Bears.