With the NFL’s schedule release just five days away, speculation continues to ramp up regarding some of the biggest primetime matchups of the 2024 season.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that could include a much-anticipated season-opening matchup on the road against the Denver Broncos. But for USA Today’s Chris Bumbaca, there are two matchups that the Steelers should have in primetime in the 2024 season.
That would be a home game at Acrisure Stadium against the Cleveland Browns and a road trip to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Bumbaca wants to see the Steelers host the Browns in primetime, specifically in Week 7.
“More AFC North, please. Deshaun Watson (or perhaps Jameis Winston?) vs. Russell Wilson (or Justin Fields?),” Bumbaca writes regarding a Steelers-Browns matchup this season.
The last time the Steelers and Browns played in primetime was Week 2 of the 2023 season, a game in which the Steelers held on for a 26-22 win. They were led in large part by the defense that featured a pick-six on the first play of the game from outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, and then a fumble recovery for a touchdown from outside linebacker T.J. Watt after a Highsmith strip sack.
Later in the season the Browns and Steelers battled in a rather ugly game in Cleveland, which saw the Browns win 13-10. Cleveland played without Watson as rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson started that game. Now, Cleveland is stacked at quarterback behind Watson, while the Steelers completely revamped their quarterback room with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields now in the mix.
Week 7 could be a Watson-Wilson showdown, or in the event of injury or poor play, could see the likes of either Winston or Tyler Huntley against Fields. Intriguing.
Along with the Steelers-Browns matchup, Bumbaca highlighted the Steelers at the Eagles as a possible primetime matchup in Week 13 that he wants to see.
“Both the Steelers and Eagles look mighty different from last season heading into 2024. Will either – or both – be looking to shore up a playoff push by this point in the year?” Bumbaca writes.
The Steelers and Eagles certainly do look a bit different. Philadelphia lost center Jason Kelce to retirement, marking the end of an era. The Eagles also have new offensive and defensive coordinators — again — while also adding some big names in free agency like running back Saquon Barkley and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, shoring up key areas of need.
Philadelphia also traded for former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, which could add serious spice to this matchup if Eagles’ starting quarterback Jalen Hurts were to go down with an injury, putting Pickett into the lineup.
Pittsburgh looks quite different, too, with Wilson and Fields in the mix. Linebacker Patrick Queen stepped in defensively, as well as safety DeShon Elliott, and a strong draft class should yield a handful of immediate starters.
The last time the Steelers traveled to Philadelphia for a regular-season game, they were thumped by Hurts and the Eagles, 35-13. That was a different team and there are a lot of new faces now. Week 13 would be quite an intriguing period to have that game, as that would come in early December where the playoff picture would really take shape.
We’ll see when those two matchups will be on the schedule when it is released next week, but it sure would be nice to see the Steelers play the Browns and Eagles in primetime this fall.
