Steelers 2013 schedule: Seven games against 2012 playoff teams

The Steelers will meet the Minnesota Vikings in London next fall. The rest of their time stateside won't be so easy.

By Chuck Finder

Jan 1, 2013 at 10:00 pm ET • 1 min read

This much can be uttered in the direction of the Steelers next season: Cheerio, chaps.

A team with something of an international following, though chairman emeritus Dan Rooney no longer works next door as the Ambassador to Ireland, the Steelers will meet the Minnesota Vikings in London next fall. The rest of their time stateside won’t be so easy.

Playoff teams Baltimore and Cincinnati, from within their AFC North, plus New England, Green Bay and those Vikings in a division matchup with the NFC Central provide a vexing schedule for a Pittsburgh club attempting to retool from a disappointing and injury-ravaged 8-8 season.

Two bright spots: One-fourth of the schedule also includes teams that will have new coaches -- Cleveland (twice), Buffalo and Chicago -- and six of their eight home games come against teams that had losing records this year.

Their 2013 opponents finished with a 101-107 (.485) regular-season record; however, the Steelers went 4-5 (.444) against much the same schedule this season, facing Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Tennessee, Oakland and the Jets.

Steelers 2013 schedule

Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Miami and Tennessee

Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota (London), New England, New York Jets and Oakland.