3 things the Steelers need to be worried about vs. the Cardinals

The Steelers travel this week to face the Cardinals on Sunday. Here are three things Steelers need to be concerned about.

Many would think that facing the 3-8-1 Arizona Cardinals would be a walk in the park for the Steelers after the adversity they have dealt with all season. Despite losing Ben Roethlisberger and Stephon Tuitt early in the year, Mike Tomlin’s team has found a way to get the job done.

Pittsburgh sits on a 7-5 record. Their defense has been spectacular since Week 4 and their offense is coming off an encouraging performance against the Browns in what was a must-win game.

Still, their matchup against the Cardinals this week will be anything but easy. Here are three things that the Steelers must be worried about this week:

Playing on the west coast against an uncommon opponent

Playing on the west coast is one thing, but doing it against an uncommon opponent is another. In recent years, we have seen the Steelers fall on the west coast to teams like the Seahawks and the Raiders.

Road games always seem to be harder for some reason, and with Pittsburgh’s offense playing so poorly this season, they can ill-afford to turn the ball over in Arizona. This one could come down to the wire.

Kyler Murray could give them problems

I know Kyler Murray is a rookie quarterback coming into a tough situation, but this is a player who could give the Steelers some trouble. Murray is an intelligent quarterback who has an unnatural ability to avoid tacklers and move in the pocket.

While the Steelers held their own against Lamar Jackson earlier this season, this rookie quarterback is unlike most they play against. If they aren’t careful, Kyler could catch this team off guard.

The betting lines are dangerously close

I know we can’t always predict the outcome of each game by Vegas betting lines, but this one is too close for my liking. Despite their 7-5 record, the Steelers are currently a ‘pick’ em’, courtesy of The Action Network.

Pittsburgh opened as just 2.5 point favorites in this contest, but that line quickly closed down to nothing. Playing a 3-8-1 team, we would have expected the Steelers to fare better than this, but these west coast matchups are always difficult.

The Steelers still have a defense that is playing incredibly well. If they don’t underestimate Kyler Murray, they may be able to hold the Cardinals to minimal offensive production. Let’s hope Mike Tomlin considers these factors when preparing his team this week.