11/27/18-STEEL NATION RADIO Broncos Wrap Up and Chargers Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

I recap the loss at Denver and discuss the upcoming game against the Chargers.  It’s going to be a tight stretch with games remaining against the Chargers, Patriots and Saints still to be played.

11/27/18-Mistakes Can Cost Steelers More Than Bronco Game

By: Mike Pelaia

When the final seconds ran off the clock, the final score read; Denver 24 Pittsburgh 17.  Yet, the Steelers were clearly the better team in Denver. Clearly the team that can represent the AFC in the Super Bowl and one that can win Lombardi number seven; if they play the way they’re capable of. 

The problem, as it turned out, was the Steelers made far too many mistakes in the game. They left 17 points on the board via a blocked field goal, a fumble by Xavier Grimble out of the end zone and a game ending interception thrown by Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone. 

But play calling, specifically at the end can be chalked up as questionable at best.  Running an RPO on what turned out to be the final offensive play for the Steelers made little to no sense. The team hadn’t run the RPO much at all in 2018 yet Randy Fichtner elected to call that play as James Conner sat as a perfectly legitimate option in the backfield. 

These mistakes cost the Steelers the game and they may cost them more than that down the line, if they don’t get things in check, beginning this week against the Chargers.

The Steelers have a high octane offense, capable of scoring with anyone in the league. They proved that during their six game winning streak. That offense isn’t going anywhere, it’s just the play calls that need to be implemented, consistently, in order to ensure the offense doesn’t hinder itself. 

They also have a defense that’s capable of stuffing the run and getting to the quarterback with guys like TJ Watt, Bud Dupree, Cam Heyward and even Javon Hargrave.  That pass rush is capable of masking a weak secondary.

Yet that weak secondary can be a problem in more ways than one.  First, they are very capable of getting burned over the top. Come Sunday, when Phillip Rivers comes to town, the Steelers better get a heavy and effective rush on or else Rivers will make the secondary pay, dearly. The second issue with the secondary, and the defense overall is the inability to create turnovers.  Nobody on the team has more than one interception and it’s hard to get off the field against quality opponents, like the upcoming Chargers, if you can’t take the ball away at times.

Couple that fact with the mistakes the Steelers have been making offensively, in terms of turning the ball over and the black and gold find themselves 26th in the league in the give away/take away rankings, averaging -.6 per game. The teams that are worse than them?  The Eagles, Jets, Cardinals, Jaguars, 49ers and Buccaneers.  Not a group of teams you’d like to be bunched with.

For comparison sake, the Bears, the NFC North leaders, average +1.3 per game, to lead the league. 

But it’s not just the mistakes of play calling and turnovers that cost the game vs. Denver and that could hurt this team down the stretch. It’s the penalties too.

The Steelers are averaging 69.5 yards per game in penalties, good for 31^st in the league.  The Patriots are number one in the league, averaging only 42.5 yards per game.  We’ll leave the referee favoritism of New England out of this argument and just point out that a 27 yards per game difference between the Patriots and Steelers in terms of penalties is a huge difference. That’s more than a quarter of the field and is worth at LEAST 3 points per game. 

When the Chargers come to town and down the stretch as the Steelers face the Patriots and Saints, these mistakes could cost them important ball games.  Yet I look for them bounce back this Sunday at home. I don’t think it will be an easy one but I think the Steelers will narrowly escape, 34-30.

I have no doubts this team is good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs.  With the talent they have, there is no reason they shouldn’t.

Well, there’s one reason….mistakes.

11/23/18-Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

By: Mike Pelaia

The Steelers will ride their six game win streak into Denver on Sunday evening to face a 4-6 Broncos team who needs a win to save their season. Four of the Broncos six losses have come against some of the top teams in the NFL by a combined margin of 16 points. They have two narrow defeats to the Chiefs, a close loss to the Rams and another close loss to the Texans.

While the Broncos may seem like an easy win, on paper, they really are not.  They are tough, they are fighting for their playoff lives and they are playing at home, which is never an easy place to travel to.

 

Here Are The Keys To Victory:

 

The Steelers Must Stop Denver’s Pass Rush

Von Miller and Bradley Chubb are two very dangerous pass rushers who have 10 and 9 sacks apiece.  The black and gold must find a way to keep them out of their backfield.  In fact, the Broncos have 31 sacks on the season, so it’s not just these two skilled linebackers they have to worry about. Protecting Ben Roethlisberger is of the utmost importance in this game.  I’d recommend using Roosevelt Nix a little more often this game, just to put a body in-between Roethlisberger and the Bronco attack.

 

Adjusting To The Altitude

It’s no secret that the stadium is literally a mile above sea level. The altitude is something that takes getting used to, let alone playing football in.  The Broncos bodies are trained for this. The Steelers bodies are not.  Being able to maintain their oxygen levels and stamina while playing their top level ball is not as easy as it sounds, when playing in those conditions.  They need to find a way to slow the pace of the game down, to allow their bodies the proper adjustment.

 

Continue Their Road Success

The Steelers have only lost one game on the road in the last two seasons. They have put all the road woes behind them. They have debunked the myth that Roethlisberger is bad on the road and Mike Tomlin can’t coach outside of Heinz. They’ll need to build on the success of the come from behind victory in Jacksonville, after being down 16 points and winning late.  They need to take the crowd out of it, control the clock and never feel like they are out of the game, even if their down, as they proved last week. If they continue to play their brand of football, they will win yet another contest away from Heinz Field.

 

Create Turnovers

The Steelers are still not creating the turnovers yet this season, having only produced 12 total.  Nobody on the team has more than one interception and they only have six total.  They need to get after Case Keenum and force some errant throws.  That falls on TJ Watt and Bud Dupree. I anticipate a heavy rush and I believe this team will finally get a couple of interceptions out of the secondary, which will assist in field position and ultimately, a ‘W’.

 

The Steelers escaped Jacksonville with a big win last week and they will continue their road success again this week with a close victory, 23-17 in Denver.  The Broncos are a better football team than they look to be, record wise, so expect a tight, close game all the way through.

11/20/18-Road To Steelers Super Bowl Starts In Stadiums Outside Of The Burgh

By: Mike Pelaia

It’s long been said that Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin can’t get it done on the road.  The theory was Big Ben didn’t play well on the road, was inconsistent and didn’t live up to the challenge.  The same was said about Tomlin’s coaching job and the less than stellar record that was historically put up on the road vs. at home was hard to argue.

Yet, that’s all changed. Since the beginning of the 2017 season, the Steelers are 11-1-1 on the road.  They are a force to be reckoned with and quite frankly, since last season, they are better on the road than they are at home. 

There is no ‘Road Ben’.  Sure, he struggled a little bit against Jacksonville, yet he had 3 total touchdowns and a ‘W’ at the end of the game, so it’s hard to say he was bad. 

The Steelers have road wins against division rivals Cincinnati and Baltimore, along with wins at Jacksonville and Tampa to go along with a season opening tie at Cleveland.  Winning a divisional road game, no matter who you play, is hard to do, yet the Steelers took care of business this season, with division road play already complete. 

The key to success in the NFL is the ability to win on the road.  You have to be able to take the bulk of your games at home, and then shoot for a .500 record on the road. 

With three road games left this season, the Steelers have already assured themselves a winning record and have launched themselves into the driver’s seat of the AFC North because of it.

They’ll continue their road dominance this week at Denver.  The Broncos are 4-6 thus far and are playing for their season but are much better than their record indicates.  They are 0-4 against the Chiefs (twice), Rams and Texans and have lost those four games by a combined total of 16 points. Four points per game against those teams isn’t bad at all. Denver just put up a victory in Los Angeles over the Chargers and are certainly a dangerous team for the Steelers to have to play.

Yet, with the Steelers riding a six game winning streak and an undefeated road record here in 2018, I think they’ll continue both streaks this week, with a close victory, 23-17. 

I don’t think the Steelers will truly face a possible road defeat until their final trip of the season, when they play the New Orleans Saints.  The Saints are rolling and when these two teams face off at the end of December, it could be a preview of the Super Bowl.  To me, that will be a true barometer of where the Steelers fall in the pecking order.

Until then, expect the Steelers to continue to win their road games and prove why they are the top dogs of the AFC North. I offer no apologies when I say it, the Ravens and Bengals are a class below and the Browns are at least two classes below that.

The road to the Super Bowl, for Pittsburgh, starts in stadiums outside of the Burgh.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars

By: Mike Pelaia

The Steelers visit the Jaguars this Sunday in a revenge matchup against the team who knocked them out of the playoffs last season and destroyed them in the regular season a few months before that.  This go round, it’s the Steelers who will get the win.

The Jaguars are 3-6 through nine games and another loss would all but end their season; something I’m certain the Steelers would love to do.

 

Here are the Keys to victory:

 

Run The Football

Jacksonville has the number 2 rated defense overall, yet they are ranked 17^th against the run.  Taking advantage of that by implementing a healthy dose of James Conner will be a huge way to lead the black and gold to victory.  Conner has been on fire during this five game winning streak and if he can keep that momentum going this week, the Steelers can use the run to open up the pass.  Once that happens, Ben Roethlisberger can begin to work his magic and make the Jaguars pay.

 

Gain Turnovers

One of the reasons the Steelers lost to the Jags twice last year was they turned the ball over far too much and didn’t really get any in return.  This go round, it’s the Steelers who need to create turnovers.  Blake Bortles is a turnover machine.  If TJ Watt, Bud Dupree and Cam Heyward can rush him and force him into the bad decisions he’s prone to make, the Steelers will put this game away early.

 

Protect Big Ben

The Jaguars do feature a pretty healthy pass rush, led by Calais Campbell. The offensive line will need to protect Ben, as they have all season, specifically during this win streak.  If Ben is given his time, he’ll make the Jags secondary pay.  If the Jags get into the backfield, they can make it a much longer day than anyone rooting for the black and gold would like to see.

 

Avoid The Negative Plays

It’s so obvious yet there have been times where it just didn’t happen, especially vs. Jacksonville.  The Steelers need to avoid dumb penalties, don’t allow splash plays (remember Bortles lit them up in the playoffs?) and make sure they stop Leonard Fournette. Fournette is back from injury now and he’s proven to beat the Steelers in the past. The front seven need to do their job to stop him and force Bortles to make a play.

I expect the Steelers to handle their business on Sunday Night and come out with a 33-13 victory. I don’t think the Jags are very good this year and the Steelers have been rolling lately. That momentum will continue and we will be talking about a six game winning streak after the final second ticks off that clock.

 

11/13/18-PODCAST – Steel Nation Radio Panther Wrap Up and Jags Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

I recap the great win over the Panthers, preview the match up with Jacksonville this week and torch Le’Veon Bell.  It’s worth the listen, right here:

11/13/18-The Defense Makes This Team A Contender

By: Mike Pelaia

As the Steelers ride a five game win streak and sit atop the AFC North, with a healthy lead, it’s easy to talk about their prolific offense. It’s easy to discuss the amazing numbers Ben Roethlisberger is putting up and the tremendous breakout season of James Conner. 

You’d be crazy if you didn’t mention JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown or Vance McDonald. And how could you forget the offensive line?  They may be the best in the business.

Yet, the one side that gets bashed quite a bit, including by me, may be the unit that actually solidifies this Pittsburgh Steelers team as a legitimate contender, the defense. 

Over this current five game win streak, the defense has elevated its’ play.  And while I’m still not convinced the secondary is very good, I’m convinced the front seven can mask that.  This defense has finally begun to get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They find themselves tied atop the NFL lead with 31 sacks.  TJ Watt leads the way with an impressive eight.  Cam Heyward has come on lately and is now up to 4.5 sacks and the guy I’m probably most impressed with this season is Bud Dupree who’s garnered 4.5 sacks to go along with 26 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a touchdown scored.  Dupree is an important piece of this linebacking corps that this team desperately needed. It’s now up to him to continue to play this well.

 If Stephon Tuitt could step up a little more and add to his three sacks and Jon Bostic and Vince Williams continue to lead the way up the middle, they are numbers one and two on the team in tackles, then this front seven will continue to thrive.

When the front seven thrives, the secondary, who is the weakest link on the team, gets bailed out. The pass defense ranks 5^th in the league overall, and trust me, it’s not due to the guys in the secondary.

 I think Joe Haden is very solid but the rest of the group is average at best. Nobody on the team has more than one interception at this point in the season. 

In fact, gaining turnovers is the next step in this teams’ development.  They have eleven total, which is good for 19^th in the league. If they want to get off the field faster and really help their secondary out, they need to force fumbles, pick the ball off more consistently and get in the positive, in terms of takeaways vs. turnovers. 

Despite the lack of turnovers, I trust this unit right now. They have begun to click, hit their stride and perform. 

They’ll need to continue that this coming Sunday in Jacksonville. The black and gold do have the number five ranked rush defense in the league and with Leonard Fournette back from injury, the Steelers will be tested. Fournette destroyed this Steelers last season, but that won’t happen again.  The defense is different this go round.

So are the Jaguars. They were a flash in the pan last year. A mirage.  Led by the biggest mirage of them all, Blake Bortles. Bortles is a turnover machine, and it’s prime time for the Steelers to get a few this week, which they will. They’ll pick Borltes off twice and get him to fumble another time. 

In fact, the Steelers will make Bortles look so bad that the Landry Jones era may begin for Jacksonville.

I look for the Steelers to roll in Jacksonville on Sunday night, 33-13, led by what is both a powerful offense and a now stellar defense.

11/1/18-Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

By: Mike Pelaia

The Steelers head into Baltimore this week, riding a three game winning streak. During that span, they have found themselves rise from the bottom of the division to the top.  This week will be a good test for the black and gold as they head into Baltimore facing the Ravens for the 2^nd time.

The first time these two foes met, the Ravens took the contest 26-14.  That also happens to be the last time the Steelers lost a game. 

If Pittsburgh can get the win this Sunday, they will drop the Ravens to 4-5 and make it a very tough uphill climb for Baltimore to get back into it.  Should the Ravens come out victorious, the landscape of the AFC North looks very different, with the Steelers losing all tie breakers to the men in purple.

In order for the Steelers to win, they’ll need to pull off these following things:

Take Advantage Of The Ravens Injuries

The Ravens have multiple injuries they are dealing with at the moment, especially on the offensive line.  The Steelers need to take advantage of that and bull rush Joe Flacco. With a depleted offensive line, the defense should be able to get into the backfield early and often. Flacco is not mobile and the black and gold could wreak havoc all game long. 

 

Special Teams Must Play Well

As is the case most of the time, this game will probably be close. In close games, special teams make the difference.  This game will be no exception. Chris Boswell will obviously need to make his kicks but it doesn’t’ stop there.  Punt and kick coverage, as well as punt and kick returns by Ryan Switzer will be pertinent in determining field position and from that, the direct impact on the game.  If the Steelers are the team who takes advantage of special teams play and they don’t make the big mistake, they’ll come out of this game victorious.

 

Ride James Conner

How can they not? Conner has been a beast over the last few weeks and the team needs to continue to feed him the ball. He’s averaging 4.7 yards per carry and already has nine touchdowns.  The Steelers should, and will, hand the ball to Conner upwards of 25 times. From there, he’ll follow the big guys up front and get the job done. The real question is, can he continue his streak of 100 yards and two touchdowns?  I say yes!

 

All Eyes on The Secondary

In my opinion Joe Flacco is not elite and never was.  That said, there are times against the Steelers where he looks like the best QB in the NFL.  That’s largely due to the weak secondary the black and gold have put out there for years.  Outside of Joe Haden, the secondary is still very weak and will need to ensure nobody breaks over the top for the big plays.  Flacco has a strong arm and if someone gets behind the secondary, he will make the Steelers pay.  The front seven need to rush him and the secondary needs to stay with their men. If that all gels, it will be a good day for Pittsburgh

 

This will be a hard fought contest that will once again come down to the last drive.  The Steelers are far better off than they were a month ago and know they can’t afford to drop a second game to the Ravens this season. I expect the black and gold to take care of their business on the road and win 27-23.