Here are the Steelers causes for concern for their Week 14 matchup against the Bills
Last Monday was nothing short of disappointing, but the Steelers still have a plethora of games left to be played and are in control of their playoff future still. That said, a lot of the causes for concern with the Football team reared their ugly head and were primary reasons for the eventual loss.
This week seems even more difficult, as the Bills are a legit playoff contender and have a lot of talent to back it up. With that said, here are four causes for concern with the Steelers’ Week 14 matchup against the Bills.
Defensive injuries
Every team has to go through injuries at some point in the season. It is a natural, albeit unfortunate, aspect of the game. That said, the Steelers lost two major defensive pieces last week in the form of Robert Spillane and Joe Haden. Haden was knocked out with a possible concussion while Spillane suffered some sort of a knee injury.
Losing two starters is never easy, and it makes it all the worse when you think about how vital both could be this week against the Bills. Spillane has filled in admirably for Devin Bush, and while he isn’t quite the athlete Bush is, he is the most athletic option they have left. Going up against Josh Allen, this could prove to be an issue due to his overall game (more on him later).
As for Haden, he is easily the top outside corner that the Steelers have. While Cameron Sutton filled in admirably for Steven Nelson (who should be back), he isn’t as savvy as Haden is. With the Bills passing attack being as potent as it is, it could be another test for this battered group. This week won’t be easy, and it will be even more difficult with the inclusion of these starters on the injury report.
Bills pass defense
Almost identical to last week, the Steelers are facing a team that matches up well with their offense. Like the Football Team, the Bills don’t have a top sack artist, but they have a handful of players that can get after the quarterback. Throw in a secondary that is far more talented than the Football Teams, and suddenly the Steelers pass-happy offense looks like it could stall once again.
The simple response to this should be to run the ball more. That was the answer last week, and obviously, that didn’t end up working out. Once again, the Steelers threw the ball over 50 times, the defense was ready for it, and it limited this offense. This week is less of an issue with the front seven and more with the Bills secondary, as they have one of the better units in the NFL.
Tre’Davious White is as close to a lockdown corner as you can get on the outside, while the safety tandem of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are two of the best in the league. Even Levi Wallace, the other outside corner, has only given up a quarterback rating of 64 percent this year. The Steelers will need to throw the ball, but if they rely on throwing the ball as they have in the past few games, this offense will stall again. This defense is simply too talented for the Steelers to keep doing what they have been doing.
Steelers rushing offense
I struggled to actually type this out, as the Steelers haven’t had a rushing offense in the past two weeks. This isn’t solely the runner’s fault, as the offensive line has struggled to get a push and the offensive play calling has emphasized throwing the ball. This has resulted in putrid results and an offense that has failed to move the ball on the ground.
Like last week, this Bills defense is softer against the run than it is against the pass. It hasn’t been horrible anywhere, but this is a defense that can be run on. With James Conner likely coming back into the mix, the Steelers need to jumpstart this ground unit. No, this doesn’t mean don’t throw the football, but it does mean to get a more traditional and balanced offense going.
Don’t always be in shotgun when running the ball, add in some play action, and heck, get Derrek Watt on the field once or twice to run block. Most importantly, in short-yardage situations, run some downhill rushes. It isn’t rocket science, and the defense will likely expect it, but make them stop you. If you do this successfully, the rest of the passing game will open up. For the Steelers, the most important thing this offense can do is get the running game going.
Josh Allen
Simply put, the Bills’ offense is entirely focused on Allen and his erratic style of play. This is a quarterback that can fling the ball deep, hit a tight window, and completely miss an open receiver all on the same drive. This season though, he has really come into his own as a passer, and it has helped take this Bills offense to new heights. As well, he is a dangerous threat on the ground. While his rushing yards are down this year, he is always a threat to take off in the red zone and score himself.
While he may not be the best quarterback in the league, he certainly can be one of the most dangerous. He reminds me of a more athletic Roethlisberger at this point in his career, as the two have a very similar style of play. This would make facing him with a fully healthy defense an issue, but throw in the Steelers’ current injuries, and suddenly Allen is the biggest threat for this Bills offense.
The Steelers need to game plan around stopping Allen this Sunday. This Bills offense can hurt you in a variety of ways, but none is more potent than Allen himself. If he runs wild against the Steelers, this game will result in a loss. The Steelers need to pressure him, force mistakes, and limit his effectiveness on the ground. This team has the talent to do that, but it certainly won’t be easy.
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Steelers will need to make some significant changes in order to get back to their winning ways. The Bills won’t be an easy opponent, but there are clear ways to attack this team. As well, there are obvious concerns with this Bills team, and the Steelers need to be aware of them before they play this Sunday.