4 burning questions the Steelers must answer vs. the Broncos

Can the Steelers hold Williams in check?

While he has yet to have a true statement game, Javonte Williams has been a strong runner for the Broncos so far. While he has been splitting snaps with Melvin Gordon almost equally so far, Williams has shown the elusiveness that made him one of college’s best backs. With the Steelers’ run defense faltering, stopping Williams has to be a priority this week.

On the season, Williams has broken an impressive nine total tackles. Najee Harris, on the other hand, has only broken six, but he has had more carries and significantly more offensive snaps to do this. Williams is hard to bring down right now, as his size gives him some natural power while his short-yardage agility makes him tough to wrap up in space. The Steelers run defense was exposed last game, and Williams could further damage this already struggling group.

Add in the fact that Gordon has been on the injury report this week and Williams should be in line for some additional rushes. Unless the rushing defense stiffens up, the Steelers could be in for a long day trying to tackle Williams. Expect Williams to be a focal point for the Broncos this week. The Steelers, meanwhile, will have to be prepared to stop the impressive rookie back.