Bringing back a series we’ve done each of the past three years looking at three games that could make or break the Steelers’ season. The last two seasons, the Steelers [have gone 1-2 in the games highlighted](https://steelersdepot.com/2024/05/three-games-that-could-make-or-break-2024-steelers/) but still managed to make the playoffs. There’s still uncertainty over who will be under center for the Steelers, but this is a team that’s looking to win now and is hungry for its first playoff victory since 2016.
### Week 6 vs. Cleveland Browns
The Steelers exit their Week 5 bye week for a matchup against a Browns team that’s expected to be one of the worst in the league. The fact that it’s at Acrisure Stadium should help the Steelers, but it still has trap game vibes. The first four games of Pittsburgh’s season aren’t immensely difficult: @ New York Jets, vs. Seattle Seahawks, @ New England Patriots and vs. Minnesota Vikings in Dublin. Realistically, the Steelers should exit that stretch no worse than 2-2.
A win over Cleveland gives the Steelers some momentum coming out of the bye, especially with a stretch after that isn’t the easiest. The Steelers travel to Cincinnati for a short week in Week 7, before hosting the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 and the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9. Getting in the win column here against the Browns will be important to establish momentum and not start what could be a precipitous slide.
### Week 12 @ Chicago Bears
The Steelers will face the Ben Johnson-led Bears at Soldier Field in Week 12, coming off home matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals. It’s a game sandwiched between matchups against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13 and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14. Like the Browns game in Week 6, a loss could start (or continue) a losing streak.
With an early bye and a difficult back half of the schedule, the Steelers are going to have to maximize their opportunities against teams like Chicago. The Bears should be improved this season with QB Caleb Williams entering his second season, but they still aren’t among the best teams in the league. My confidence level in the Steelers against the Bills isn’t very high, and a road game against the Ravens in Week 14 will be tough, even if the Steelers do usually pull out a win over Baltimore in the regular season.
Losing this game would be a major blow given what the Steelers have ahead of them on the schedule. It’s a loss that could sink their season.
### Week 15 vs. Miami Dolphins
The Steelers will enter this game coming off the Bills and Ravens games, and the Detroit Lions in a raucous Ford Field environment awaits in Week 16. This is a Monday Night Football game with the Steelers [in their color rush uniforms](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/05/steelers-to-debut-new-and-different-throwback-uniforms-against-packers-in-week-8/), and while Miami has talent, it’s a team that the Steelers really should beat. Losing this game could set up a legitimate possibility that the team drops four (or five) in a row heading into a Week 17 game in Cleveland against the Browns.
The end-of-season schedule is brutal yet again, but games like this one and Week 12 against Chicago at least represent some sort of reprieve against playing teams that have been among the best in their respective conferences.
The Dolphins were a playoff team two years ago, but QB Tua Tagovailoa has struggled to stay healthy and WR Tyreek Hill’s production dropped last season. Miami’s offense can still be explosive, and the Dolphins have a defense that could be above-average. They might have a solid record at this point in the season, but they’re beatable.
We can’t see how the season is going to unfold, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we enter Week 15 and talk about this as a must-win game to help keep Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes alive.