The NFL is expected to release its full 2023 schedule on May 11th. CBS Sports is trying to get ahead of the season’s biggest slate of games. In a 2023 schedule prediction, which to be clear, is just a prediction and not based on any reporting, author Cody Benjamin believes it’ll be Steelers versus Ravens on Thanksgiving.
Explaining the schedule selection, he writes:
“Rivalries always do well on holidays, and Lamar Jackson will likely be trying to earn his late-season keep as the newly paid face of the Ravens, while the Steelers always provide an underrated late-year fight.”
He predicts that will join the traditional teams, Lions versus Packers and Cowboys versus Jets, because you can bank on Aaron Rodgers getting all the primetime love this year on his new team.
Benjamin’s article doesn’t predict times for the Thanksgiving slate but a night game between Baltimore and Pittsburgh would make the most sense. A marquee matchup and almost always close game to cap off the holiday.
The Steelers last played on Turkey Day in 2016, a night game in which Pittsburgh handled the Indianapolis Colts 28-7. That night, Ben Roethlisberger completed only 14 passes but threw three touchdowns as the Steelers raced out to a 21-7 halftime lead. The ground game took care of the rest, Le’Veon Bell rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Steelers forced a pair of turnovers and sacked Scott Tolzien three times while starting RB Frank Gore averaged less than two yards per carry.
Pittsburgh and Baltimore played on Thanksgiving night back in 2013. The Ravens came out on top, 22-20, with a late failed two-point conversion by the Steelers the difference in the game.
History says the Steelers would be better off not playing on Thanksgiving. Since 1970, they are just 1-4 on the holiday also losing to the Detroit Lions 45-3 in 1983, the Dallas Cowboys 20-10 in 1991, and again to the Lions 19-16 in overtime in 1998.
We’ll keep tabs on the Steelers actual and official schedule early next week. Pittsburgh’s always good for about the league max of primetime games and it would not be a shock to see them show up on one of the major holidays given the universal appeal the franchise has.
