I’m going to be brief on explaining my thoughts on predictions: I love them. Yes, there’s no way to know what the first week of the NFL season will hold at this point, let alone the final week.

However, it doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun to try and make an educated guess on what could happen.

“Could” being the keyword, we all believe that this year’s Pittsburgh Steelers team “could” be a Super Bowl contender. Starting from that hypothesis, if you could pick only one game that could change the course of the Steelers season, which would it be?

Lucky for you, I have the answer. Let’s have a look at the 2017 schedule first to see where the linchpin is.

Week	Date	Time	Opponent
1	Sunday, September 10, 2017	1:00PM ET	@ Cleveland Browns
2	Sunday, September 17, 2017	1:00PM ET	Minnesota Vikings
3	Sunday, September 24, 2017	1:00PM ET	@ Chicago Bears
4	Sunday, October 1, 2017	1:00PM ET	@ Baltimore Ravens
5	Sunday, October 8, 2017	1:00PM ET	Jacksonville Jaguars
6	Sunday, October 15, 2017	4:25PM ET	@ Kansas City Chiefs
7	Sunday, October 22, 2017	1:00PM ET	Cincinnati Bengals
8	Sunday, October 29, 2017	8:30PM ET	@ Detroit Lions
9			Bye Week
10	Sunday, November 12, 2017	1:00PM ET	@ Indianapolis Colts
11	Thursday, November 16, 2017	8:25PM ET	Tennessee Titans
12	Sunday, November 26, 2017	8:30PM ET	Green Bay Packers
13	Monday, December 4, 2017	8:30PM ET	@ Cincinnati Bengals
14	Sunday, December 10, 2017	8:30PM ET	Baltimore Ravens
15	Sunday, December 17, 2017	4:25PM ET	New England Patriots
16	Monday, December 25, 2017	4:30PM ET	@ Houston Texans
17	Sunday, December 31, 2017	1:00PM ET	Cleveland Browns

I could drone on and on (and on) about some of these games, the caliber of the opponents, etc. But let’s cut to the chase: the first five weeks are inconsequential to the rest of the season. There will be some good, and some bad, football played. That’s a given.

But realistically? The Browns in Week 1 should not be a threat; even on the road.

The Vikings should be handled at home and the Bears could be worse than the Browns. The Ravens will give the Steelers trouble on the road in Week 4, but would a loss be that big of a hurdle to overcome with 12 games to follow?

Nope.

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The Jaguars could be better, but they still have to come to Heinz Field.

It’s Week 6 when things get more interesting with an afternoon kick at Arrowhead Stadium in a rematch of the AFC Divisional Playoff game. I’m not sure what Kansas City will look like, but Andy Reid led teams are typically tough.

But that one isn’t the most pivotal game, nor is the following weekend with the Bengals traveling to Pittsburgh. A Sunday night game in Detroit shouldn’t hinder the season, as it’s an NFC opponent, and getting the Colts after a bye isn’t good for the Colts, who have had their hands full with Ben Roethlisberger over the last few seasons.

The challenge beings in Week 11, with a short week to host what could be an up-and-coming Titans team on Thursday Night Football. A mini-bye comes next against Green Bay, another NFC opponent who travels to the Steelers house.

While those games should be good ones, and the path to a seventh Lombardi gets tougher as the season nears its end. The Steelers get division opponents Cincinnati and Baltimore in back-to-back primetime games, making it four night games in a row (along with Tennessee and Green Bay). Pittsburgh has owned the Bengals and been owned by the Ravens, but I believe the true game on which the entire season rides comes in Week 15; that’s because Week 16 against the Texans, even being played on Christmas Day, might not be as critical, and then there are the Browns again at home to finish the season.

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Week 15 features the New England Patriots coming back to Heinz Field for a rematch of the AFC Championship game. The reason this game is so much more important is that I’m putting my faith in the Steelers taking care of business and being in the conversation for the top seed in the AFC. If they can put away three of the four games against Jacksonville, Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Tennessee, that will go a long way in securing a top conference record the Patriots are used to occupying.

Unfortunately, the Steelers don’t get much help from the rest of the conference (especially the AFC East) so the Week 15 game could be for all of the marbles. I don’t foresee the Browns or Ravens being in a position to compete for the AFC North crown. Should Pittsburgh own the Bengals as they have for many seasons, they will have a comfortable lead, and possibly clinch the division with a win against New England.

But it’s the top seed in the AFC that might be at stake, and with a predicted stellar record, a head-to-head win would be the most important factor in what could end up being the most pivotal game for both teams’ playoff futures. If the Patriots win, they likely walk into the postseason with the 1 seed and a bye. But if the Steelers pour it on at home, and finally get the best of the Patriots, it would be the black and gold receiving the home advantage throughout the playoffs.

Imagine how the roles reverse if the AFC Championship game came through Heinz Field? Now imagine if the Patriots had to return there during the postseason, after having lost weeks earlier? They may have revenge on their minds, but in the back of those brains, they know they were defeated by the same team not so long ago. They know the Steelers got to sit a week (maybe more if they have an opportunity to play their backups against the Browns in Week 17 again). They know that the game is not at Gillette Stadium in front of their home crowd (and featuring whatever other “quirks” you get when traveling to Foxborough!)

The record, the top seed, and a psychological advantage make Week 15’s Patriots game the most pivotal one on the Steelers 2017 schedule by far.