PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed seventh-round draft pick Toney Clemons to a four-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Steelers chose the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Clemons with the 231st overall pick to give the team needed depth at wide receiver.

Clemons, who is from a northern Pittsburgh suburb, had 43 receptions for 680 yards and eight touchdowns during his senior season at Colorado.

Pittsburgh is down to four wide receivers on the roster following the release of Hines Ward. Clemons will compete for a spot behind Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery.

Wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery says the Steelers like Clemons’ size. He is now the tallest receiver on the team.

The 2012 Sunday night football schedule looks to be a great one for NBC. The network will have a game every Sunday for the full 2012 NFL season, beginning in Week 1 with the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Denver Broncos.

There are some very interesting games in the mix, including the New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 and the New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4. The flex schedule begins in Week 11, when NBC can decide to swap out the game for another one in the NFL schedule. Some of those later games look pretty intriguing though, so the network may not need to alter anything.

All Sunday night games will begin at 8:20 p.m. ET.

2012 Sunday Night Football Schedule

Week 1 : Sun, Sep 9 – Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

Week 2 : Sun, Sep 16 – Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

Week 3 : Sun, Sep 23 – New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 : Sun, Sep 30 – New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 5 : Sun, Oct 7 – San Diego Chargers at New Orleans Saints

Week 6 : Sun, Oct 14 – Green Bay Packers at Houston Texans

Week 7 : Sun, Oct 21 – Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

Week 8 : Sun, Oct 28 – New Orleans Saints at Denver Broncos

Week 9 : Sun, Nov 4 – Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons

Week 10 : Sun, Nov 11 – Houston Texans at Chicago Bears

Week 11 : Sun, Nov 18 – Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 12 : Sun, Nov 25 – Green Bay Packers at New York Giants

Week 13 : Sun, Dec 2 – Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

Week 14 : Sun, Dec 9 – Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

Week 15 : Sun, Dec 16 – San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots

Week 16 : Sun, Dec 23 – San Diego Chargers at New York Jets

Week 17 : Sun, Dec 30 – TBA

Source:

NFL Scoreboard

After focusing mostly on offensive line and the defense the Pittsburgh Steelers made an interesting late pick when they drafted Chris Rainey out of the University of Florida. Rainey was a track star in college and was a contender to make the Summer Olympic team. Rainey is small but would be a great change of pace running back for Pittsburgh and should return some kicks. But where does Rainey rank as far as 2012 rookie fantasy football players?

10. David Wilson, New York Giants

The Giants still have Ahmad Bradshaw but between Bradshaw’s injury issues and the departure of Brandon Jacobs the Wisconsin running back should get some carries this season.

9. Chris Rainey, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rainey certainly shouldn’t be in your starting lineup but I think there is a good chance that he breaks two or three long runs for touchdowns and adds another two or three kick returns for touchdowns. If you’re in a deep league and you need a one week replacement for a bye or injury then Rainey might be worth taking a shot on.

8. Brian Quick, St. Louis Rams

The Rams are lacking a lot of offensive weapons, especially at the wide receiver position. Quick was not the top wide receiver in this NFL Draft but he’ll have a great chance to move up the depth chart quickly.

7. Justin Blackmon, Jacksonville Jaguars

Blackmon will be a good but not great wide receiver. Unfortunately he is going to a team with a bad quarterback and will be a run-first offense next year. Also, don’t let A. J. Green fool you, wide receiver rookies usually aren’t very good.

6. Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns

It’s going to be a rough season for Richardson although not by any fault of his own. Richardson will be a good back in the NFL but the Browns’ offensive line is so bad that it’s going to be very difficult for Richardson to have numbers consistent enough to make many fantasy football lineups.

5. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts did Luck a favor by drafting two tight ends, a formation he was familiar with at Stanford. That will make Luck’s chances of scoring better but he still doesn’t have a whole lot of weapons and will probably throw some interceptions. Luck probably shouldn’t even be your first backup this season unless your league is really deep.

4. Michael Floyd, Arizona Cardinals

Floyd is going to a better situation as rookie than Blackmon is. The verdict is still out on Kevin Kolb but he’s definitely better than Blaine Gabbert. Floyd will also have Larry Fitzgerald to attract all the attention by the defenders and he’ll have less pressure as a lower draft pick.

3. Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts

As I mentioned before, Luck is familiar with Fleener and the tight end formation. He’ll be the number one weapon for Luck and should score some touchdowns. If you’re busy filling in other positions when the elite tight ends go off the board then Fleener could be the highest scoring tight end on the next level below the elite guys.

2. Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins

The Redskins don’t have a lot of weapons but Griffin’s tight end will be a better safety blanket than Luck’s. Also, while Luck will have to force the ball sometimes and throw interceptions, Griffin always has the ability to take off and run. That means more rushing yards and rushing touchdowns-which are worth more points than passing in most leagues-and he’ll probably also have less turnovers. Unlike Luck, Griffin is a legitimate back up.

1. Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Richardson was the best running back taken in the 2012 NFL Draft but the number two running back is going to a better situation. Some thought the Bucs were going to be a playoff team last season so they have a good team that just underachieved last season. LaGarrette Blount is still in Tampa but Martin should start as the number two running back and could take the number one position from Blount before the end of the season.

Sources:

2012 NFL Draft Results at Yahoo! Sports

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson

At the 2012 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers increased their chances of competing for the Super Bowl by improving the offensive line. It’s never too early to look ahead at next year’s draft and wonder who the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft in the first round next season. These are 10 college football players for Pittsburgh Steelers’ fans to watch next season because they could be on Pittsburgh’s wishlist. These are by no means the ten best players in the draft because the Steelers will likely not have a top 10 draft pick.

Tyrann Mathieu (CB), LSU and Johnny Adams (CB), Michigan State

There are some college football programs that are great at producing talent at a certain position. The best example today is LSU and cornerbacks. Mathieu will join Morris Claiborne and Patrick Peterson as the third LSU cornerback taken in the first round in consecutive years. The only problem is that Mathieu could go too early for the Steelers depending on where they draft. If the Steelers have to settle for another cornerback later in the round then Michigan State’s Adams could be available.

Kawann Short (DT), Purdue

The Steelers focused on shoring up their offensive line in 2012 and there is no doubt in my mind that the 2013 NFL Draft will be about getting younger on defense. Short could fill in one of the Steelers’ needs on defense.

Dion Jordan (DE) Oregon

The defensive end is not a position that the Steelers need to fill as much as some other positions but if Jordan is available when the Steelers draft in the first round then it could be hard to pass up on the Oregon Duck.

Kevin Reddick (ILB) North Carolina and C. J. Mosley (ILB) Alabama

Many thought the Steelers would draft Dont’a Hightower in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Hightower was still on the board when Pittsburgh drafted but they decided to fill their more pressing need at offensive line. The Steelers could fill that position with Reddick or Mosley next year instead.

T. J. McDonald (S) USC and Ray Ray Armstrong (S) Miami

Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark are a good combo of safeties and they led the Steelers to the best pass defense in the NFL last season. Both players are over 30-years old though and with age players lose a step. Defensive backs aren’t very valuable once they start to lose it so it is a good idea to have a backup plan in place that involves somebody other than Ryan Mundy.

Keenan Allen (WR) Cal

One of the biggest question marks for the 2013 season is whether the Steelers will have wide receiver Mike Wallace. Wallace will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2012 season and is seeking an amount the Steelers can’t afford and quite frankly isn’t worth. The Steelers might have to seek a wide receiver in the first round and Allen is a receiver that could be available late in the first round.

Montee Ball (RB) Wisconsin

Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL and there are questions about when he’ll come back and how healthy he’ll be. If Mendenhall doesn’t come back from injury or if he does come back but isn’t effective then the Steelers will have a big decision to make. Mendenhall also becomes a free agent this year. Should the Steelers move on with Mendenhall or seek a new running back?

Sources:

Tony Pauline, Best 2013 NFL Draft prospects include USC’s Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, T. J. McDonald, SI.com

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson

Over the past several years the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest rival in the AFC North has been the Baltimore Ravens. The season usually ends with one of them winning the division and the other finishing second. After scoring possibly the best draft of the 2012 NFL Draft Cincinnati Bengals fans are making themselves heard. The Bengals just won the division in 2009, they found the quarterback and wide receiver of the future in the 2011 NFL Draft and now have added to that with this year’s draft picks. Why can’t the Bengals be the team that wins the AFC North in 2012?

The first argument made by Bengals’ fans is despite the Steelers and Ravens’ superiority complex the three teams have each won one division title each in the last three years. The Ravens won in 2011, the Steelers won in 2010 and the Bengals won in 2009. That 2009 team was one of the biggest surprises of the NFL and the Bengals went 6-0 in their division including beating the Ravens and Steelers two times each. That season is pretty irrelevant to today’s team because of how much turnover there has been in such a brief time.

That 2009 team was led by Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson. We don’t look at either the same way as we once did because of how much they’ve fallen off in such a short period of time. Andy Dalton and AJ Green could be a better combo someday but right now they aren’t as good as Palmer/Johnson in their prime. The Bengals also no longer have Cedric Benson who has quietly rushed for over 1,000 yards for three consecutive seasons. Instead they have the very overrated BenJarvus Green-Ellis who benefited from the New England Patriots’ high-scoring offense.

The Bengals have definitely created a stockpile of young talent. It started last year with Green and Dalton but let’s not forget that Dalton didn’t play as well in the second half of the season when the schedule got much more difficult. This year’s crop of rookies looks very good but what can you expect from first-year players? Not a whole lot. Green went against that theory but nobody the Bengals drafted this year is as good as Green.

The Bengals are going to be very young and I don’t think you can expect that much from the young players that soon. Look at the other successful teams in the league. The Super Bowl participants-the New York Giants and the Patriots-are loaded with older players. The Ravens, Saints, Steelers, 49ers and Packers all have players with experience. The only other really young team in the playoffs last year was a Detroit Lions team that didn’t look like they belonged with the big boys yet either.

Bengals’ fans will point out that the Bengals were a 9-7 team last year, they made the playoffs and the additions in the NFL Draft should improve their team. What they aren’t considering is that they were fortunate to have a 9-7 record because they only had a victory over one winning team last year, the Tennessee Titans. The upcoming season the Bengals will once again have to play the Ravens and Steelers four times and they’ll have to play the AFC West and the NFC East. The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles will probably be losses, the Cowboys are never easy to predict and Robert Griffin III on the Redskins will be a never-know-what-could-happen game like Cam Newton last year. Nobody in the AFC West is necessarily scary but all four could be 8-8 teams which isn’t much worse than the Bengals.

At the beginning of the season the Ravens claimed that the Steelers’ defense was old. This was coming from a Ravens’ defense that has 36-year old Ray Lewis, 33-year old Ed Reed and 29-year old Terrell Suggs. The truth is both teams are aging and the Steelers will have salary cap problems after the 2012 season. The Bengals will not beat the Ravens and Steelers in 2012 but after that all bets are off.

Sources:

All schedules, stats and results were found at NFL.com

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson

Every season there are trendy picks to win the Super Bowl. Last season everybody jumped on the Philadelphia Eagles’ bandwagon and the “Dream Team” didn’t even make the playoffs. Meanwhile, every season the Pittsburgh Steelers quietly go about their business and more times than not they are a top contender in the AFC. After a disappointing first round loss to the Denver Broncos the Steelers are trying once again to get on top. Did the NFL Draft make the Steelers contenders once again?

The Steelers have a lot of concerns to deal with in the next couple of seasons. How do the Steelers sign wide receiver Mike Wallace to a long-term deal? If they sign Wallace how do they also afford to bring back Rashard Mendenhall, Heath Miller, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders? All of that will go down between the 2012 and 2013 football seasons. What we can count on is that regardless of whether Wallace is a Steeler next year Pittsburgh can win the Super Bowl in 2012.

In the first two rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft the Steelers greatly improved their biggest weakness: the offensive line. In the first round the Steelers drafted David DeCastro from Stanford. DeCastro is actually one of the five or six best players in the 2012 NFL Draft but because so few teams draft offensive linemen in the first round the Steelers were able to steal him with the 24^th pick. In the second round Pittsburgh chose Mike Adams from Ohio State. Adams is a first-round caliber linemen but he dropped to the second round because he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine.

In their first two picks the Steelers went right to the heart of their needs and possibly got two starting offensive linemen. The Steelers still have a flaw in their running game but many football fans underrate the value of a great offensive line. The improvement on the line alone can improve the Steelers in many ways and could be exactly what is needed to vault them back to the top of the AFC.

First, the offensive line will protect Ben Roethlisberger. The only current quarterback that has been sacked more times in their career than Roethlisberger is Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck has been sacked fourteen times more than Roethlisberger but he’s played seven more seasons. Roethlisberger is getting sacked at an alarming rate and now that he is thirty-years-old it’s time to put an end to it. Especially since one of the reasons the Steelers faltered at the end of the 2012 season was because Big Ben was hobbling on one leg. Injuries can occur at any time in the NFL. It’s possible Roethlisberger would have gotten hurt last season even with a good offensive line but obviously the less he gets hit the smaller chance of injury.

The protection for Roethlisberger will also allow him to throw the ball. Once upon a time the Steelers were a run first offense and Roethlisberger was a quarterback that would throw for yards in the low 3000s. Since getting some receivers Roethlisberger has shown that he can put up big numbers if the offense allows him. The last three seasons the Steelers‘ quarterback has show he can throw for yards in the low 4000s and that will only go up with more protection. A better offensive line is especially important for a team with fast receivers like Wallace, Brown and Sanders. If the offensive line even gives Roethlisberger one additional second to throw it then that is one more second that the speedy receivers have to distance themselves from the defender.

It’s still important to have a balanced offensive attack though and the big question will be where the Steelers get their rushing yards next season. Mendenhall tore his ACL in the final game of the regular season last year and I’m not sure we can expect him back healthy before the beginning of the 2012 NFL season. Who knows if he’ll be healthy any time during the 2012 season. Fortunately a good offensive line can make an average running back like Isaac Redman look good and if somehow Mendenhall comes back healthy then he could have the best season of his career. Mendenhall had a career high 1200+ yards in 2010 and could have come close to that last season if he didn’t miss a game and a half. With a good offensive line, a healthy Mendenhall and the passing weapons the Steelers could be as well-rounded offensively as any team in the AFC.

Of course I’m not ready to hand the Steelers the AFC crown just yet. The New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens were the participants in the AFC Championship game and both improved their team in the draft. I thought the team that did the best in the first two days though was a team chasing the Steelers. The Cincinnati Bengals managed to come up with five draft picks in the first three rounds and they were all solid choices. If the Bengals are in the mix as an AFC contender next year then that will make it more difficult for the Steelers.

Source:

Steelers’ NFL Draft Review at Steelers.com

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson

By now you have probably seen all the high grades for the Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 draft class. They are getting lauded almost universally for getting great value and filling needs at the same time. While I would join the pundits and give the Steelers an A for a preliminary draft grade, I think it is more interesting to think about what the Steelers are saying with their draft choices. Here are the messages I think they are sending:

The Offensive Line has to Get Better

Despite a 2010 Super Bowl appearance, fans have been calling for a better offensive line for several seasons. We know Ben Roethlisberger needs to stay healthy and the running game has to improve. The Steelers agreed. For the first time since 1968, the Steelers chose offensive linemen with their first two picks. Somehow, guard David DeCastro, projected to be a top 10 overall pick, fell to the jubilant Steelers at #24. Then, the Steelers chose Mike Adams from Ohio State in round two. Adams has first round talent at the pivotal tackle position, but a positive marijuana test at the combine and subsequent lies hurt his draft standing. Adams personally drove to see the Steelers, his favorite team, and took responsibility for his actions. By agreeing to several stipulations, the Steelers put him back on their board. Combined with C Maurkice Pouncey and last year’s second round pick, OT Marcus Gilbert, there are no more excuses. The line has to be a strength and not a weakness.

Big Ben or Bust

The beefed up line reinforces that the Steelers are going to win with a healthy Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback or go bust. In the offseason they let young Dennis Dixon go. They re-signed Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich (coming off a broken arm). They drafted no quarterbacks. With all due respect to Leftwich, Batch, and Smith the Steelers need Big Ben or they will not contend for a Super Bowl. There is no young, developmental quarterback, just Ben and the two stable, but unexciting, backups. (I think recently signed ex-Raven Troy Smith is just a camp arm.) In Ben they trust.

Young Defenders are Ready to Step Up

The Steelers did choose two defensive players in their top four: Sean Spence – speedy linebacker from Miami and nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu from Washington. However, as normal in Dick Labeau’s complicated defense, neither is expected to start right away. They will sit and learn. The Steelers did not address the secondary until the 7th round. That tells me they are satisfied with the development of young corners Cortez Allen, Keenan Lewis, and Curtis Brown. By not taking Dont’a Hightower, the Steelers also showed confidence in Larry Foote and Stevenson Sylvester to fill James Farrior’s inside linebacker position. This is typical of the Steelers, though. Players emerge as impact starters after learning the system for a year or more. I’m excited to see who emerges as a new star.

Running Backs Will Rotate

New offensive coordinator Todd Haley used a combination of running backs in Kansas City – pounder Thomas Jones, all-around stud Jamaal Charles, and scatback/receiver Dexter McCluster. With Rashard Mendenhall injured and likely out for the beginning of the season, I think Haley is building a similar approach. Fifth round speedster, Chris Rainey from Florida, is a piece of that rotation. I think he will play the McCluster role, though I hope his impact is more like the New Orleans Saints’ Darren Sproles. Rainey should provide the receptions out of the backfield that have been too rare lately. He should contribute in the return game also. In both roles, he will be a real threat to take it the distance.

The Butler Did it

This is more of a prediction than a clear message. I like the addition of undrafted punter Drew Butler from the University of Georgia. I think he will depose Jeremy Kapinos. Butler is a high character player who won the Ray Guy Award as a sophmore in 2009. I have watched him play many times. He has an enthusiasm for the game and comes up with his best punts when field position is most crucial. He was also a holder for the field goal team. He will be a great Steeler.

I was excited to watch the draft, but the Steelers clear messages through the draft have me more excited about the upcoming season. The front office team continues to build a powerful team on the field. Here we go (new) Steelers, here we go!

Sean Durity is a Terrible Towel twirling Steelers fan living in Atlanta. He grew up cheering the 1970s dynasty and appreciates the organization’s excellence even more as an adult. Follow him on Twitter @SeanDurity

More from this contributor:

Pittsburgh Steelers Strike Draft Gold in David DeCastro: A Fan’s Reaction

2012 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule Features Games Against Both Mannings, Tebow: A Fan’s First Reaction

Steelers Don’t Need Free Agent Splash: A Fan’s Relaxed View

SOURCES

Ed Bouchette “Adams Story a Unique One”, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Drew Butler profile

This is the time of the offseason when the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers shine. They build the foundation for Super Bowl-contending teams by finding players in April and not in March.

When it comes to drafting Pro Bowl players, the Ravens and Steelers rank among the top four since 1996, according to the Ravens’ public-relations department. Baltimore and Pittsburgh have each selected 15 Pro Bowl players during that span, tied for third-most in the league. Only the New England Patriots (17) and Green Bay Packers (16) have produced more.

The secret to the Ravens’ and Steelers’ drafting success is establishing a vision of what type of player fits their teams. That philosophy comes from the stability of the organizations. Ozzie Newsome has been the Ravens’ chief decision-maker since the team relocated to Baltimore in 1996, and Kevin Colbert has been the Steelers’ general manager since 2000. The teams each have had two head coaches (Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher for the Steelers, and John Harbaugh and Brian Billick for the Ravens) for the previous 13 seasons.

That type of cohesion builds a relationship to the point where the scouting department knows what players the coaches want. The front office has insight on what players succeed in their teams’ offensive and defensive systems.

“I think that’s one of the enjoyable things about Pittsburgh,” Tomlin said at the Steelers’ pre-draft press conference this week. “We don’t get caught up in draft grades and the evaluation of the draft, and things of that nature like a lot of other things that could distract you. It’s simply measured in terms of how we perform.”

The Steelers have drafted four Pro Bowl players in the past five years: linebacker LaMarr Woodley (2007), wide receiver Mike Wallace (2009), center Maurkice Pouncey (2010) and receiver-returner Antonio Brown (2010).

Last season, seven of the Ravens’ eight Pro Bowl players were drafted by the team: inside linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Ed Reed, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, running back Ray Rice and guards Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda.

This type of consistent success is more amazing when you consider the level of difficulty. The Steelers and Ravens are finding these Pro Bowl players despite annually picking toward the bottom of each round.

These division rivals don’t like each other, but they tend to like the same type of player. The Ravens and Steelers target tough, physical and competitive players.

“His motor in the fourth quarter is really, really important,” Ravens director of player of personnel Eric DeCosta said. “A lot of the guys who impress me are the guys who are getting their butts kicked in the fourth quarter, losing by 20, 25 points, and he’s still making plays or trying to make plays.”

DeCosta added, “How does a guy tackle? If it’s a cornerback, does he face up and use his facemask? Does he bring you down? Does he miss a lot of tackles? If he’s a running back, does he run through contact? Does he lower his pads and try to break tackles? You get a sense. When you talk to people, you get a sense. Then when you interview a guy, you get a sense for his toughness.”

The true measure of draft success isn’t the number of Pro Bowl players produced. There is a higher standard.

“Super Bowl championships,” Colbert said. “That’s it. There is no scorecard. Never will be, never has been.”

Pittsburgh Steelers coaches and players won’t have to look far for inspiration for battling through tough times this season.

Running backs coach Kirby Wilson has returned to work for the first time since he suffered life-threatening burns in a January fire.

“I really want to make note of Kirby Wilson showing up and getting back in the mix, at full speed, with his preparation,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said during Monday’s pre-draft news conference. “It was really inspiring to have him back in the fold.”

It sounded like Wilson is working on a modified work schedule, doing some of his evaluations of prospects from home on the laptop. We knew Wilson had visited the team again earlier this month, but we didn’t know he was back to work so soon. He recently has been able to drive again.

The return to work is a sign Wilson will make it all the way back from his burns. We wish him all the best in his continued recovery.

Last season the Pittsburgh Steelers played in one of the best Monday Night Football games of the season. The game between the Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers was not a great, exciting game, but it solidified the 49ers as a contender that should have been taken more serious and it cemented the Steelers as a team that was hobbling down the stretch. Which Monday Night Football games will be the most important of 2012?

10. Week 10, November 12^th

Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers

I will admit that the only reason I picked the Steelers and Chiefs game is because I’m biased. Yeah, it probably won’t actually be a great game but have you seen some of the horrible Monday Night Football games to choose from? It’s like trying to pick a favorite Kardashian. Does anybody want to see the Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans or Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football? The Falcons actually got two Monday Night Football games.

9. Week 3, September 24^th

Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks

Green Bay versus Seattle is another game that is questionable but some think the Seahawks could be a sneaky team this year. The main reason to care about this Monday Night Football game is because of Matt Flynn playing against his old team. If there is any game he’ll be motivated to win it should be on Monday Night Football against the quarterback he had to sit behind.

8. Week 6, October 29^th

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

Another game that’s not great but throw in Peyton Manning’s first season as a Bronco and the fact that it could be an important division game at this point in the season and there is some interest there.

7. Week 5, October 8^th

Houston Texans at New York Jets

I seem to be one of the few people that thinks adding Tim Tebow is a nice addition for the New York Jets. These two teams could both be double-digit win teams that make the playoffs.

6. Week 9, November 5^th

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints

How will New Orleans react to their train wreck of an offseason? Will the Eagles continue the momentum they had at the end of 2011? These two teams will possibly go in opposite directions in 2012 and this game could be the point in which they cross paths, literally and figuratively. Plus, there is plenty of star power with Drew Brees and Michael Vick.

5. Week 4, October 1^st

Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys

Who knows if Dallas can put it all together next season. My bet would be that they are a third place team in the NFC East but they always draw ratings. The Bears on the other hand could be a contender in the NFC next season and a win in prime time could be the point in which a lot of NFL fans jump on the bandwagon.

4. Week 7, October 22^nd

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears

Last year the Green Bay Packers nearly ran the table and had a perfect regular season. It is doubtful that will happen again because both of these teams have a legitimate claim to the NFC North. The Bears will probably be more of a contender than Detroit but obviously the Lions have an offense that could go off in any game. This game should be a fun passing versus defense/running game and the winner will be the Packers’ biggest threat.

3. Week 12, November 26^th

Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles

Mr. Newton meet Mr. Vick. Vick was you before you were. Good luck.

2. Week 14, December 10^th

Houston Texans at New England Patriots

The Texans’ playoff hopes came crashing down when Matt Schaub got injured, but with Schaub and Andre Johnson healthy next season the Texans could be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. The week fourteen Monday Night Football game could be the point in which the Texans take the number one seed and become the favorite in the AFC.

1. Week 11, November 19^th

Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers

All that passing in 2011 was nice but in the end the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers showed that passing is not the best way to win in the playoffs. The Giants could still be in the running next year but the 49ers and Bears will also have the same sort of teams. If I had to make a prediction for the NFC Championship then this game would be it.

Which Monday Night Football game are looking forward to the most? Leave your opinions below or tweet your answer using the hashtag #MNFSchedule

More Articles From Lee Andrew Henderson:

Analysis and Predictions for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2012 Regular Season Schedule

Is the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Poor Offense Due to Clint Hurdle Over-managing the Starting Lineup?

Will Ben Roethlisberger’s Golf Tour Help Him During the Offseason?

Sources:

Monday Night Football Schedule on ESPN Blog

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson