FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Steelers will open their 2019 season against the same team that pretty much ended their 2018 season.
Don't misunderstand. The Patriots didn't literally end the Steelers' season in 2018. In fact, a 17-10 win against the Patriots on Dec. 16 just might have been the season's highlight. But it also marked the end of the road. They would lose in New Orleans the following week to fall behind the Ravens for first place in the AFC North, and even a victory against the Bengals in Week 17 couldn't get the Steelers back into the playoff picture.