The Steelers are set to face off against the Falcons this week, and here are three bold predictions for the game on Sunday.
The Steelers have started to show some signs of life in recent weeks, and they hope to keep some momentum going against the Falcons. While certainly not the best NFL team right now, the Falcons are still in the middle of the playoff hunt thanks to their lacking division. They certainly won’t roll over and let Pittsburgh run all over them.
Then Steelers are finding some footing on defense and have gotten their ground game going. The passing offense is still a work in progress, but Kenny Pickett has been sharper in recent weeks and has limited his turnovers. Here are three bold predictions for the Steelers as they take on the Falcons this week.
James Pierre continues to shine
A player I have been thoroughly pleased with since he took on a larger role, James Pierre has aided in the secondary turning around in recent weeks. All three cornerbacks are firing on all cylinders right now, and Pierre has been a pleasant surprise. Despite struggles last year, Pierre looks comfortable as a starter on the outside right now.
I think that trend continues this week, as Pierre continues to stack solid games. He adds another interception to his totals and continues to take steps in coverage. He isn’t elite by any means, but Pierre does more than enough to continue warranting more snaps as he develops into a capable starter.
Steelers win their second consecutive game
How the mighty have fallen. After two decades of consistent success, a bold prediction for this franchise now is that they can scrape together two consecutive wins this week. The team hasn’t played well, and while they have looked better in recent weeks, a lot of their issues are still persistent.
While I understand that struggles are natural given the number of changes that have occurred to this team, they are still underwhelming. That said, I think they match up well against the Falcons and pull off a win this week. That doesn’t mean the issues of the team are fixed (they aren’t), but the team wills their way to two consecutive games.
Jaylen Warren breaks out
As of this writing, it seems like Najee Harris is going to miss Sunday’s game with the injury that held him out of the majority of last week’s game. Jaylen Warren should be back, and I expect him to be the primary running back for the game. He has flashed in limited action and as a reserve, and I think he thrives in this game.
The line has been blocking better for the run as of late. The Falcons, meanwhile, are one of the worst teams when going up against the run. All of this leads to Warren going for over 150 total yards and finding the end zone twice. Even if Harris suits up, I expect Warren to see a lot of snaps in order to limit an ailing Harris.
The Steelers would love to come in on Sunday and win their fifth game of the season. While not an elite team, the Falcons will be no easy task. That said, this is another very winnable game. Keep these bold predictions in mid for the Steelers as they take on the Falcons this week.