After suffering through a string of tough losses, the Steelers will have to answer these questions when they take on the Packers in week four.
While the Steelers have gotten off to a disappointing start, the road doesn’t get any easier for them from here. The Packers are set to host the team this week, and while their opening to the season was rough, they have since rebounded with two great games.
A win won’t be easy this week against such a stout opponent. Here are five burning questions the Steelers will have to answer this week against the Packers.
Can the Steelers offensive line finally get it together?
One of the weakest positions on the Steelers roster this season has been the entire offensive line. While a few players have looked ok, the group is lacking a star and is filled with deficiencies. While the group has progressed slightly since a horrendous week one, this group has still allowed a plethora of quarterback pressures and has done little to open rushing lanes.
That all said, the Packers don’t boast a notable defensive front right now. They have only totaled three quarterback sacks so far, and while names like Preston Smith can get after the quarterback, he is far from an elite pass rusher. While Kenny Clark is a prototypical run-stuffer, he hasn’t been playing as well as he usually has as indicated by not having a single tackle for a loss yet. At best, this line is average and can easily be beaten.
While the Packers’ front seven can be beaten this week, that doesn’t mean we should expect the Steelers unit to suddenly be elite. That said, with the possibility of Zach Banner returning from injured reserve and Joe Haeg possibly seeing more playing time, this line could finally slash some potential. This week seems like a good opportunity for this group to finally get themselves somewhat together.
Can the Steelers pass rush return to form?
When entirely healthy, there may be no better pass-rushing trio than what the Steelers have. This was on full display in week one when Josh Allen was constantly harassed by the combination of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Melvin Ingram. The injury bug struck Highsmith and Watt though, and as a result, it has left a rotating cast of low-level players to pair with Ingram from much of the past two weeks.
While there is no confirmation of who will or won’t play this week, both Watt and Highsmith were limited to start practice this week. Assuming they both suit up, this pass rush can get back to its dominant ways. While the Packers boast a strong offensive line, this group at full strength should have little issue getting pressure on Aaron Rodgers.
It isn’t any coincidence that the Steelers’ defense went from elite to average once the top-level pass rush was lost mid-way through week two. Assuming this group returns to form, this defense can help keep the lacking offense in games. This pass-rush has to get healthy and return to their pre-injury form if the team wants to have any shot to win this game.
Can a Steelers receiver take a step forward?
The Steelers passing game as a whole has taken on a form similar to that of last season. While there have been some closer long pass attempts, for the most part this team has been reliant on the short and quick passing game. As a result, the receivers, while extremely talented, have had slower starts to the year.
As of now, the leading receiver on the team is actually Najee Harris after his 14-reception game last week. Behind him, Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson, and JuJu Smith-Schuster all have 15, 14, and 13 receptions respectively, with Claypool leading the way in yardage at 211. While these numbers aren’t horrific for so early in the season, no receiver has stepped up to be a difference-maker as of yet.
With the Steelers’ offense floundering, this week would be a good one for a receiver to show up as a difference-maker. Outside of Jaire Alexander, this Packers secondary can be exploited, so getting a proper mismatch could be key in discovering which receiver is going to lead the pack. Each of the Steelers’ top three can lay a legitimate stake at this, and no matter who steps forward as the top target each will still have a role, but one of the team’s top guys has to take a step forward as the top receiver.
Can Steelers Harris finally get it going?
As has been heavily discussed, the Steelers rushing attack appears to actually be worse than what it was last year. Despite the first-round pick being invested in Harris, this team has struggled to consistently move the ball on the ground. While not horrible at stopping the run, the Packers provide an opportunity to focus on getting Harris going.
If this line can play at closer to an average level in week four, the sky is the limit for the rookie back. He has shown great short-area explosiveness but has struggled to get around defenders that tear through the line right after the snap. While Harris himself has missed a few reads, he isn’t the sole person to blame for the Steelers’ rushing woes.
This could be the week it all finally comes together. The line gets some semblance of a push-up front and Harris exploits that for an effective day on the ground. He doesn’t need to have a huge day but keeping the ball in his hands and out of the Packers’ offense would go a long way in upping the Steelers’ chances of winning in week four.
Can the Steelers stop Adams?
To say that the Packers’ passing attack is one-dimensional would be a severe understatement. The team has Davante Adams and that’s it, as evident by his insane 25 receptions for 309 yards so far on the season. No other Packers receiver has registered more than 80 receiving yards in contrast. This passing offense lives and dies with Adams, as he is one of, if not the, best in the game.
To be clear, the Steelers won’t be stopping Adams by holding him to mediocre receiving numbers. They just need to contain him enough so that he isn’t crucial in deciding the outcome of the game. On the flip side, if he is consistently making a big play, he can and will win this game for the Packers. The Steelers corners have to be on top of their games in order to prevent Adam’s from going off.
Unfortunately, the corners have looked rather weak when relied on to play without an elite pass rush. Ideally, that element of the Steelers defense comes back this week with some better injury news. Even if they are still thin at edge rusher though, the team has to focus on stopping Adams. If they allow him to have a strong game, he will make the Packers’ offense nearly impossible to beat.
In what will likely be a tough matchup this week, the Steelers have quite a few questions that need answers sooner rather than later. If this team wants any chance of not just winning this week, but staying competitive for the rest of the season, they need to get these questions sorted out this week.