Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers to face backup quarterbacks in last five games of season

Published Dec. 17, 2015 1:11 a.m. ET

foxsports

Entering the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were deemed to have the toughest schedule of any team in the NFL based on their opponents' combined winning percentage in 2014. Entering the final stretch, they've caught a break when it comes to opposing quarterbacks.

Backup quarterbacks will have started for four of the Steelers' final five opponents. The lone team to start a No. 1 quarterback was Andy Dalton, and he lasted all of one quarter in last Sunday's 33-20 loss to Pittsburgh.

The stretch began a week prior with Matt Hasselbeck starting in place of Andrew Luck, a 45-10 win for the Steelers. Brock Osweiler will get the nod this Sunday at Heinz Field in place of Peyton Manning, who is recovering from a torn plantar fascia in his left foot.

Pittsburgh will finish off the season with games in Cleveland and Baltimore. Josh McCown, the original Browns starter, is out for the year with a broken collarbone, paving the way for Johnny Manziel to get his second start against Pittsburgh. Baltimore's Joe Flacco is out for the season with a torn ACL. His backup, Matt Schaub, has also been banged up, meaning Jimmy Clausen may get his second straight start in the regular season finale against the Steelers.