The Steelers head out west following their bye week, and this is a huge opportunity for this team to maintain control of their future. The AFC North did well last week, meaning a win here keeps Pittsburgh at the top end of the division. A loss could feasibly send them to the bottom as well.
The Rams have proven to be better than most people gave them credit for. From an offense that has flowed both with and without Cooper Kupp to a surprisingly effective defense, Los Angeles looks like a tough team. Here are my four bold predictions for the Steelers as they play the Rams in week seven.
1. Joey Porter Jr. gets the green light
The Steelers secondary has been a bit of a mess this season. From the struggles of starting cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace to the release of potential slot option Desmond King, this group should look pretty different following the bye week. While the team has yet to fully commit to him, I do think Joey Porter finally gets a more established role on this defense.
It seems likely to me that the team will want to move Patrick Peterson more into the slot, something they have toyed with to mixed results. With King no longer an option and Chandon Sullivan playing poorly, Peterson can become a more full-time slot option while Porter takes over on the outside.
No, this won’t lead to instant results, but Porter has earned the right to play more. Even if he still is on the bench for base defense, Porter should be playing close to 70 percent of the snaps in this new role. Again, he has been the lone bright spot in the cornerback room, and he should be given more opportunities because of it.
2. Dan Moore starts for the Steelers and plays well
It hasn’t been a great start to the season for Dan Moore so far. Despite handily winning the left tackle job out of training camp, he struggled early when up against some of the top pass rushers in the league. While I do believe his lowly PFF grade is a bit off and he has been better than said grade, it hasn’t been a strong third season for the veteran.
That said, it appears as though Mike Tomlin has yet to move on from him fully despite a strong showing from rookie Broderick Jones while Moore was injured. Frankly, the fact they haven’t announced Jones as the guy makes me think that Moore is penciled in to start.
While I can hear a lot of you audibly groan over this, I don’t think this is a horrible idea. While Aaron Donald is one of the best pass rushers in the league, he should be wreaking havoc along the interior of the line. Moore will primarily see rookie edge rusher Byron Young, who has looked good so far but is still developing.
I think Moore ends up having the strongest game out of every Steelers lineman on Sunday. The pressure is obviously on him, as Jones could take on the starting role anytime now, and I think that brings out the best in Moore. He puts together a fine performance at tackle even if the fanbase still continues to pile blame on him.
3. Diontae Johnson finds the endzone for the Steelers
It has been a rough stretch for veteran receiver Diontae Johnson. He had a down year last season thanks to the entire offense being limited with rookie quarterback issues and a poor scheme, and he failed to find the endzone. The hope was for him to get that proverbial monkey off his back early this season, but he instead got hurt in week one and has been on injured reserve.
Johnson seems poised to return this week, and he has been very vocal about how ready he is to get back out there and help this team. Frankly, the offense could use the boost in the passing game. While George Pickens has proven to be a star in his absence, the rest of the receiving room has been hot and cold.
I think Pittsburgh is looking to get him involved early. He nets two receptions on the first drive, the second of them resulting in a trip to the endzone. This gets Johnson resettled as a top option for this team and provides a spark that this offense has been lacking with him injured.
You can also count this as a double-bold prediction because this would feature the Steelers scoring on their first drive, something that has rarely happened with Matt Canada as coordinator. Johnson has a welcome-back party this week, and it starts early in the game with him finding the endzone.
4. Kenny Pickett has a career game for the Steelers
Things haven’t gone in Kenny Pickett’s favor so far this season. While the preseason gave me hope that he could be more than just an average option, he has looked like a mess this season. He lacks composure, the ability to consistently read, and has had poor accuracy in the short to middle throws. These were all things that he was supposed to be ready for as a “pro-ready” prospect.
For some reason, I feel that a big game is coming for Pickett. On paper, that shouldn’t be the case. The Rams boast a monster in Donald on their front and a secondary that can clean up with him applying pressure. Pickett hasn’t thrived in these types of games, but coming off the bye with a familiar face in Johnson back, I think he goes off.
He records over 275 passing yards and throws for three scores. He also doesn’t throw an interception, and while he still has the occasional errant pass, he looks far more comfortable in the pocket. Despite the seemingly tough game in front of him, Pickett finally showcases some of the ability that this team wants out of him as a first-round pick.
This should be a tough game on paper, as the Rams have put together a surprisingly good team while the Steelers still have a lot of questions to answer off their bye week. Keep these four bold predictions as Pittsburgh tries to keep up in the AFC North during week seven.