The Pittsburgh Steelers played the NFL’s toughest schedule this season. They may play one of the league’s weakest schedules in 2009.

The Steelers’ 2009 schedule was firmed up Sunday after Miami (11-5) won the AFC East over New England (11-5) because of tiebreakers. If the Patriots had won the division, the Steelers would have played at New England for the third consecutive season in 2009.

The Steelers will play only three winning-record teams at home next season: Baltimore, Minnesota and Tennessee. Also visiting Pittsburgh will be AFC North rivals Cincinnati and Cleveland, plus Oakland, San Diego and Green Bay.

On the road, the Steelers will play their three division opponents, plus Denver, Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit and Miami.

The Steelers’ schedule was unusually difficult this season because they met all teams in the NFC East and AFC South, two of the league’s strongest divisions. In their place next season will be the AFC West and NFC Central, two of the weakest divisions this season. The AFC West did not have a single above-.500 team.

As a result, the Steelers will meet both the Lions (0-16) and Chiefs (2-14) — which, for now, appears to be a significant downgrade from a 2008 schedule that included the Giants (12-4), Colts (12-4), Patriots (11-5) and Eagles (9-6-1).

The Steelers played 11 games this season — counting two against Baltimore — against teams that won eight or more games. They played only one game outside their division against a losing record team, Jacksonville. Eight of their 16 games were against playoff teams, plus New England, which didn’t make the postseason despite its record.

Only five teams that had winning records this season are on the Steelers’ 2009 schedule.

Despite their tough schedule, the Steelers (12-4) won 12 games or more for only the fourth time since 1979.

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