Steelers Scout Ike Taylor Sends Strong Warning To Jim Harbaugh About Week 3 Matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers' official 2024 schedule was finalized on Wednesday evening and it's safe to say that the team doesn't have an easy road to the playoffs. It was already known that the organization would have a tough group of opponents, but Head Coach Mike Tomlin and co. will have to play six AFC North games in the final eight contests of the 2024 season. With the group being potentially the toughest in football, it isn't necessarily favorable to have to compete against the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns all twice in the matter of just a couple of months.

Many analysts have given their opinions when it comes to the schedule the Steelers were dealt, but opinions from those within the franchise may paint even more a picture of how everyone is feeling inside the building. Former Super Bowl-winning cornerback and current scout Ike Taylor hosts a podcast, Bleav In Steelers, with Mark Bergin and the duo discussed the schedule release.

One could argue that the Steelers have to play an extension of the AFC North in 2024. Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL and leading the way for the Los Angeles Chargers. Pittsburgh will host Harbaugh's squad in Week 3, which will be the home opener. Taylor isn't worried, though. He wanted to make it known that Tomlin and the Harbaugh brothers present no issues.

"Regardless of what the first name is, when you come down to the Harbaugh brothers, as long as the last name Harbaugh man, one thing's for sure, two thing's for sure, Coach T knows what he doing when he playing the Harbaughs," Taylor said.

As a divisional opponent, Pittsburgh has to take on Baltimore twice each year and Tomlin and John Harbaugh have had their fair share of battles. Instead of hosting the Ravens for the home opener, the Steelers will face Jim Harbaugh who is expected to preach the same kind of offensive approach as new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith will in the Steel City.

The Chargers are under new leadership on the coaching staff and it's hard to doubt that the team will be extremely competitive in 2024. For the Steelers, the schedule in late November and into December is hard enough. Realistically, it's hard to imagine a playoff berth without a strong start in the first eight weeks of the Tomlin's 18th campaign at the helm.

Every conference matchup prior to the questionable AFC North stretch will, and should, be highlighted as a must-win. While Jim and John Harbaugh aren't similar in every way, Taylor is confident that Tomlin has a true understanding of how their brains operate. After all, the Steelers have seven wins and just one loss against Baltimore in the last few years.

Jim Harbaugh is coming off of an undefeated National Championship season at the University of Michigan and also boasts a 49-22-1 record as a coach in the NFL. The league office didn't just give the Steelers a disadvantage at season's end; the franchise also has to go up against a team that has the best and most proven coach out of every new hire.

Steelers See Harbaugh Brothers Three Times At A Minimum In 2024

Both Harbaughs have the right rosters in front of them to be competitive in 2024. Without even thinking about the playoffs, Tomlin and Pittsburgh will go up against the duo at least three times in the upcoming season. It all begins in Week 3 when the Steelers will look to send a message that Tomlin owns, and will continue to own, the Harbaugh family.