The Steelers squeaked out a victory vs the Broncos last week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t concerns entering their week three matchup with the Texans
The Steelers won last week, but it seemed far tenser than it should have been. The Steelers allowed the Broncos to hang around for most of the game and it almost resulted in a loss. A win is a win though, and the Steelers enter week three as the favored team over the Texans. Considering the firepower that the Texans have though, this game is far from a sure thing.
The Steelers have some question marks on their roster entering this week. The secondary has been a weak point, and the Texans can easily exploit that this week. As well, the team’s running game has been full of inconsistencies, and if they can’t right that ship this week, it could lead to a long day from the offense. Finally, the TE group has been a major let down, and while it hasn’t hurt the Steelers yet, it could be beneficial for the Steelers to have more weapons.
The Texans have lost both of their games so far, but a part of that is likely due to the tough schedule they have had to endure through their first two weeks. Most teams would be winless if they started like the Texans have had to. The Steelers aren’t facing a lackluster team; they are facing one filled with talent but has struggled against two of the best teams in the NFL. The Steelers will need to bring forth their best effort in order to come away with a win.
With all of this said, here are the four biggest causes for concerns during the Steelers week three matchup against the Texans.
Getting the TEs involved
The Steelers had a huge hole at TE during this offseason. Vance McDonald couldn’t do it all on his own and there was no clear other option in this offense. The Steelers opted to sign veteran Eric Ebron. Known for his pass-catching ability, fans were drooling at the potential he would bring for this offense. Finally, the offense had a true move TE for Ben Roethlisberger to utilize.
And then, the season starter. Ebron only caught one pass in the opener, and while his stats jumped a bit during week two, he has failed to impress much as a mismatch. McDonald has been even worse, barely registering any offensive contributions. Worst yet, both of their blocking has been less than stellar. This means that the offense has barely any use for them and have honestly been more of a detriment to the offense than a help.
The Steelers will need one if not both of their TEs to register on the stat sheet this week. This doesn’t have to be by catching a dozen passes, but they both need to play with their strong suits. Ebron needs to get some red-zone targets and find his way into the end zone. McDonald has to exploit the middle and serve as that tough and reliable offense. Both need to show a little more tenacity when they block. The Steelers need more from this group, and they enter week three as a major question mark.
Deshaun Watson
This slide could simply say Deshaun Watson and move on. Watson is one of the best talents in the NFL, and no matter how good the Steelers’ defense is, he will prove to be a problem. He has an incredible arm with pinpoint accuracy. Even worse, if the coverage proves too good, he can beat you with his legs. It doesn’t matter that the Texans have a weak offensive line, Watson has the opportunity to shred the Steelers defense.
On top of this, Watson’s best receivers are deep threats. The Steelers have done a decent job of stopping the pass in the short and intermediate areas of the field but have struggled when it comes to deep passes. Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks have electrifying speed and great body control when going deep. With Watson’s supreme arm talent, the Steelers could be in for a long day.
Watson is a top QB in the league, and he could prove that by beating a good Steelers defense. The game plan has to focus on stopping Watson before he takes over the game. If the Steelers are lax in their game plan and come out weak against the Texans and Watson, it could turn into the Steelers’ first loss of the season. They can’t let Watson get into a groove or else the Steelers will be facing a likely loss in week three.
The struggling secondary
Building off the fear the Steelers should have in Watson, their secondary has far and away been one of the weakest points on the roster so far. This is surprising considering the talent the Steelers have there, as every starter is returning from last year. Even more to the point, Minkah Fitzpatrick had a whole offseason to mesh with the unit and for the defense to get more creative with him.
Yet even with all of this talent, the Steelers have given up back to back solid passer performances. As stated before, the deep game has proven to be an issue. Each game as seen some long passes connect at an alarming rate for this defense. Given the strengths of the Texans deep game, the Steelers defense could be in for a long day this Sunday. If they allow Watson to dominate them, more than likely the Steelers will see their first loss of the season.
While the CBs need to get more consistent, Fitzpatrick needs to get back on track. For a player that was being touted as one of, if not the best deep safeties in the league, his 2020 has started off sloppier than you would have liked to see. On top of this, Terrell Edmunds has shown yet again that his deep coverage is a liability. This unit needs to get their act together, and once they do, this defense will be unstoppable.
Figure out the RB room
The Steelers offense has returned to form this year with Roethlisberger back at the helm, and that combined with a furious pass rush has allowed for the Steelers to start the season off with two wins. The issue has become apparent with the offense though: they lack a clear plan when rushing. The RB usage has been weird, and it seems like the Steelers could be in for another long season from their rushing attack.
Benny Snell started the season off strong, but his fumbling issues have reared their ugly head making him an unreliable option. James Conner has looked a bit slow this year, and his efficiency with the ball has been lackluster. While he did go over 100 rushing yards last week, over half of his yardage came in one run at the end of the game. The team lacks a true threat in the backfield.
In order to have an elite passing game, the Steelers need to establish their running game better. If they want to continue using Conner, they need to get him in a groove early and find a way to keep him healthy. Utilizing Snell would make more sense, but his fumbling issues have made it hard to keep him on the field. Don’t forget about Anthony McFarland either. He has yet to see the field, but his speed could help give a spark in this lackluster rushing attack.
While the Steelers may be an early favorite in this week three matchup, there are plenty of concerns that could rear their head. If the team can beat out these concerns, they should have no trouble winning. Likewise, if these concerns haunt them on Sunday, the team could be handed their first loss this week.