10/30/20-Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
By: Mike Pelaia
The Pittsburgh Steelers roll into Baltimore at 6-0 to face the 5-1 Ravens on Sunday afternoon. The battle for AFC North supremacy will be a good one. As always, I expect this game to come down to the end and be decided by a touchdown or less.
The Steelers main concern will be stopping NFL reigning MVP, quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson has only thrown two interceptions this season compared to his 10 touchdown passes and leads the Ravens in rushing yards with 346, with another two scores.
Unlike previous games where the Steelers largely stuffed the oppositions running back, Jackson provides a different element the team hasn’t seen yet this season. He’s a scrambler that can make plays happen at any time. If the Steelers collapse the pocket, Jackson will take off and someone is going to have to stop him.
I’m looking for Vince Williams and Robert Spillane to step up and keep him contained but that’s no easy task. If he gets past them, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds better be there to prevent the long yardage gains.
The entire key to the game will be limiting Jackson’s mobility. While he completes 63% of his passes and has a 99.2 passer rating, I don’t fear his arms as much as I do his legs. Jackson can be forced into mistakes and that’s where edge rushers TJ Watt and Bud Dupree will be a factor. If they can collapse the pocket and force Jackson to throw vs. run, the Steelers will have far more success on defense.
Jackson certainly hasn’t seen a defense as quick as the Steelers this season yet and he’ll be challenged by the black and gold as much as he’ll challenge them.
Defensively, the Ravens are good but the guy who has the biggest impact in my mind is Calais Campbell. He leads the team in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (6) and has had some big games against the Steelers in the past.
The goal for the Steelers offense should be to control the clock and keep Ben Roethlisberger off the ground. James Conner may need to run the ball 20-25 times and average at least four yards per carry. I’ve given Conner a lot of grief over the past year but I have to admit, he’s had a very productive season thus far and he really could be the difference in the game this week.
What it will most likely come down to will be special teams and penalties. The team who commits the most stupid penalties or doesn’t kick well will be the one who has their backs against the wall at the end of the game. Jordan Berry and Chris Boswell need to be effective in their punts and kickoffs to ensure the defense is set up on the Ravens side of the field and Boswell needs to remain perfect in his field goal and extra point accuracy.
At the end of the day, we are looking at two Super Bowl contenders who are trying to win one of the best divisions in the NFL to ensure a home game in the playoffs. This is the first of two epic battles to come and I fully expect the teams to split the season series. With that said, I think the Ravens will get this first one and discontinue the Steelers perfect season by the score of 23-20.
10/23/20-Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans
By: Mike Pelaia
When the 2020 schedule first came out and I saw the Titans were on it, I did not think much more than “that’s a W” for the Steelers. Six weeks and five games into the season, it’s clearly no guarantee.
The Titans, last years surprise team, are at it again with their 5-0 start. The Steelers, this years come back team, are also sitting at 5-0 and are ready to really see what they are made of.
As the black and gold travels do Tennessee to take on the team who fell one game short of the Super Bowl last season, they’ll have to do so without starting inside linebacker and defensive signal caller Devin Bush. This will be the first game without him and it remains to be seen how badly he will be missed. Derrick Henry will be sure to test Bush’s replacement, Robert Spillane. Henry is a monster, who through only five games has the most rushing yards in the league at 588. He’s a powerful, quick back who can dominate a defense and carry an offense and I fully anticipate he’ll see his number called frequently on Sunday afternoon.
The Steelers run defense has been stout, but it hasn’t been tested so until Spillane proves he can play with the big boys, Henry will get the call. However, if the defense proves they can stuff Henry has they have done against other top backs this season, Ryan Tannehill will be the man the Titans will rely upon and he’s no slouch either. Tannehill boasts 13 touchdown passes to only two interceptions on the season while completing nearly 70% of his passes. He’s not one to make mistakes and the Steelers will need to apply serious pressure on him all day long in order to force him to dup the ball quickly.
Since the Titans can score points on anyone, I’m looking for the Steelers offense to be the unit that needs to step up and ultimately decide the outcome of this game. Look for James Conner to continue to run hard (I’ve bashed him but he’s doing well lately) and the Big Ben to Chase Claypool connection to continue to shine. I’m personally looking for a lot more out of JuJu Smith-Schuster this Sunday as he’s been a bit disappointing as of late.
If he can’t or doesn’t deliver, I have full confidence in James Washington and Diontae Johnson to spread the defense as well. Either way, I look for a high powered offense going up and down the field out of necessity.
At the end of the day, I don’t think the Steelers are ready to take on the Titans and win and they will ultimately fall short as they won’t be able to stop Derrick Henry.
Titans 33 Steelers 27
10/13/20-Steelers Sit 4-0 Through First Quarter of Season, Face 4-1 Browns
By: Mike Pelaia
The Pittsburgh Steelers have traditionally liked to break the season down into quarters during the Mike Tomlin era. Through the first quarters of 2020 they have had some challenges along the way yet their record sits at a perfect 4-0.
It’s hard not to look at the fact that the first quarter schedule was significantly easier than the second quarter of the season schedule is about to be. The Steelers opponents through the first portion of the season (most teams have already played five games) have combined for a grand total of three wins. Their next four opponents have already combined for 13 wins and this will be a real test of who the Pittsburgh Steelers really are in 2020.
Ben Roethlisberger has been stellar through four weeks, he’s thrown 10 touchdowns to only one interception and as the team prepares to host the 4-1 Cleveland Browns, that play is going to need to continue. The energy and leadership Roethlisberger brings to this team has been palpable thus far and I look for him to show the young players what division play is all about this coming week. Guys like Chase Claypool, who has been sensation through the first four games and is coming off a four touchdown performance against the Eagles will be a key cog in the offensive game plan against the Browns, along with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Eric Ebron. Cleveland ranks 30th in the league, allowing 296 yards per game through the air. I anticipate quite a few plays downfield for Big Ben and the offense to take advantage of the Browns main weakness.
Pittsburgh will try to establish the run to set up the pass and will lean on James Conner to do so, as they have for the bulk of the season but the Browns are fourth in the league, giving up only 87 yards per game. I think the Steelers are better served using Benny Snell, who averages 4.1 yards per game and mixing it up with Anthony McFarland, the rookie speedster to provide some bigger play opportunities this week.
The Steelers have done a solid job of protecting their franchise quarterback through four games, allowing only six sacks but they’ll need to step up their play this week as they face the nearly unstoppable Myles Garret, who already boasts six sacks of his own. Garret can disrupt a game on his own and he will need to be double teamed to keep him away from the immobile Roethlisberger. If Garret continues to be a force this week, he could make it a long day for the Steelers offense and he’s a big reason why the Browns sit at 4-1.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Steelers boast the number three ranked defense allowing 301 yards per game and have been tremendous against the run, sitting second in the league allowing a miniscule 64 yards per game. However, they have bene susceptible to the big pass play and are in the middle of the pack, ranked 15th in the league, allowing 237 yards a game through the air.
While the Browns have two top of the line running backs in Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb who both average over five yards a carry for over 700 yards and must be stopped by the Steelers front seven, I believe it’s far more important for the Pittsburgh secondary to step up this week and find a way to contain both Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr who each have 21 receptions through five games and can get open on any play for Baker Mayfield. If the Steelers manage to bottle up either of those two, they’ll have their hands full with Austin Hooper, the Browns top tight end and third down go to guy.
I have been unimpressed with the Steelers third down defense this season and they must find a way to improve upon that this week vs. Cleveland. It starts with the front seven and the pass rush. I’m looking for Bud Dupree and TJ Watt to be in Mayfields face all afternoon, the Cleveland running game to be stopped and the Steelers secondary to contain the talented duo on the outside. If they do that, they’ll win the game.
It won’t be a breeze, but the Steelers will find a way to continue their perfect record with a 33-27 victory on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.
