The Steelers are currently riding the high of their Week 12 win over the Bengals. The firing of Matt Canada seemed to provide a spark for this offense. While there are still issues aplenty on this roster, they finally found a way to move the ball and look like a somewhat complete team.
They have another layup this week in the Cardinals, as they are one of the worst teams in the league. Even with the return of Kyler Murray, Arizona has failed to find its stride. That said, there is no free week in the NFL, and this team needs to be ready to play. Here are four questions the Steelers must answer against the Cardinals.
Can the Steelers defense stop the speed?
The Cardinals receiving core certainly isn’t a feared unit in the league. Headlined by deep threat Marquise Brown, this passing unit is currently one of the worst in the league. A lot of that has to do with struggling quarterback play, but a lack of great receiving options hasn’t helped things.
What the Cardinals do have is speed at the receiver spot. Brown is one of the fastest players in the league and can burn you at any time. Rondale Moore is also a speed freak and can turn any touch into a big gain. While not as fast, rookie Michael Wilson can also win vertically and plays faster than he tested.
The Steelers cornerbacks, sans Joey Porter, have proven to be an unathletic bunch. They need to be ready to stop the deep passes associated with speedier receivers as well as tackle the catch and prevent short passes from turning into long gains. The Cardinals will rely on big gains to win this game, and this defense needs to be able to combat that.
Can the Steelers keep the offensive pace?
It seemed like an impossible feat, but the Steelers' offense found a way to move the ball last week on offense consistently. This allowed them to gain over 400 total yards of offense, a feat that hasn’t happened in ages. While this didn’t instantly translate to a lot of points, it did help the Steelers win their game.
That trend needs to continue this week, and specifically, the focus on the running game has to be kept. Last week it was Najee Harris, and the week before it was Jaylen Warren, but mixing in both backs effectively has to be the offensive focus for this team.
The Cardinals boast one of the worst rushing defenses in the league. You look over their front seven and it makes a lot of sense. No one stands out as a great run defender on the line, and the off-ball linebackers have been poor this year. Other teams have regularly beaten the Cardinals with their own ground game.
The Steelers' offense looks like a better unit overall, but a lot of their success last week was predicated on the ground game working well. If they want to keep their team churning in the right direction, the ground game has to remain as the focus this week. Both Harris and Warren will need solid outings to get another win under Pittsburgh’s belt.
Can the Steelers stop the Cardinals run game?
The Steelers' run defense, at one point, was one of the worst units in the entire league. Since the return of Cameron Heyward though, the group has gotten better. While not elite, this unit has limited running backs in recent weeks and forced teams to throw against this defense. While that also hasn’t been a strong defensive unit, it has allowed the pass rush to make more plays.
The Cardinals' offense is really only moving through the ground. Headlined by former Steelers running back James Conner, this unit has been efficient and has been able to churn out yards when games are close. Add in the threat of Murray taking off and even the receivers getting some carries and you have a unique backfield to try and deal with.
If the game remains close, which is likely given the Steelers' struggles to score this season, then the run defense needs to be ready to slow this unit down. If Conner and the Cardinals are allowed to take control of this game, what should be an easy win on paper could become a very tight game.
This run defense, like the offense, is on the right track. They have a big matchup this week though, and they need to once again prove that they are a unit on the up. If the Cardinals can hang around and play to their strengths, this game could become more of a struggle.
Can the Steelers keep their momentum up?
What has become a frustrating trend this season, the Steelers seem to start to find their footing only to be derailed by a team and sent back into doom and gloom. The preseason provided a lot of hope before the 49ers trounced this team. Things were slowly getting back on track before the Texans whipped the team. Pittsburgh was coming along before they dropped a game to the depleted Browns.
Just when things seem to get a little better, this team slips back into mediocrity. That can’t be the case this week. Pittsburgh has some momentum right now, and the last thing they need is to drop a game to a very beatable opponent. This offense finally looks ok and the defense is coming alive, but a loss this week would derail that progress.
It is hard to win in the NFL, but the Steelers have a favorable matchup with the Cardinals this week. They need to capitalize on that and make the most of this game. A loss here would once again kill any momentum this team has built. They need to be on point and win this week and keep the team moving forward.
The Steelers once again have a beatable opponent in the Cardinals. They are starting to look the part of a decent team, but they still have a lot of questions they need to answer. In particular, these four questions can easily determine the outcome of this game.