Week 6 of the schedule for the Pittsburgh Steelers will see them hit the road to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although it's clear that the away team is the favorite in most picks and predictions, no one in Steelers Nation should be comfortable going into this game. The Black and Gold have been favored in these types of matchups before and have faced them with countless struggles in the past.
Pittsburgh heads into this game hoping to finally stack wins for the first time this season. Thus far, after every win they have achieved, they have followed it up with a loss. That is why they are sitting with a topsy-turvy 3-2 record heading to Tampa Bay. Their levels of inconsistency have been mind-boggling, and they must turn that around this week.
The Steelers have the perfect opportunity during this game to finally start stacking wins.
The Buccaneers will be without their star quarterback, Baker Mayfield, which means they'll face undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels. While that would normally be a bright spot, Daniels has played well enough to lead the Buccaneers to victory this season. It won't be an easy game for the Steelers. Their offense needs to remain a positive influence, and their defense needs to get after the quarterback.
Still Curtain contributors predict a Pittsburgh Steelers win, but it won't be easy
"The Steelers are coming off a convincing win over the Colts and are trying to keep the momentum going in Week 6. Pittsburgh gets another favorable matchup this week, but this time the roles are reversed. The Buccaneers played on TNF in Week 5 and have essentially had a mini-bye (10 days between games) as they prepare to host the Steelers. Pittsburgh still has the better team, but this game could be closer than we'd like it to be." - Tommy Jaggi (Steelers 21-17)
"The 3-2 Steelers head to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday after beating Indianapolis 34-22 behind Jaylen Warren’s 188 yards from scrimmage, while the 1-4 Buccaneers finally broke through with a 24-16 win over Dallas fueled by 241 rushing yards. Pittsburgh owns the better scoring and pass-rush rankings, and even with Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek expected to sit, Aaron Rodgers and Warren should do enough against a Bucs team likely starting rookie Jalon Daniels again for the injured Baker Mayfield." - Allison Koehler (Steelers 27-20)
"Pittsburgh is dealing with a number of injuries heading into Week 6, but the Buccaneers have their own concerns as well. Jalon Daniels will once again be under center due to Baker Mayfield's thumb injury, and the Steelers must take advantage of the underafted rookie's inexperience. I hate to call any game this early in the season a must-win, but this is one that they should walk out of with a victory if they want to be taken seriously in the AFC." - Shayne Kubas (Steelers 24-17)
"Fans are riding high again after a solid win over the Colts, and it almost feels like this team is sleepwalking into a trap. The Buccaneers defense is stout, especially against the run, and considering how dependent this offense has been on Jaylen Warren it could cause some issues. That said, the Bucs offense has been mediocre, and while it came alive last week, I'm just not seeing enough. I won't be shocked if I'm wrong, and if this was a Mike Tomlin led team, I would be going the other way, but Steelers pull out a close win." - Andrew Falce (Steelers 21-20)
"The Pittsburgh Steelers are finding a stride on offense using Jaylen Warren as a bell cow. Well, they’ll need to feed him early and often against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike McCarthy’s offense will rely on the AFC player of the Week to keep Rodgers’ ahead of the sticks. Patrick Graham’s defense is riddled with injuries but TJ Watt and Patrick Queen help the defense bottle up the Bucs." - Loyal Ricks Jr. (Steelers 28-17)
Final prediction has Steelers finding a way to stay in the win column
Score Prediction: Steelers 23, Buccaneers 19
Turnovers are going to be huge in this game. The Steelers offense must play a clean brand of football on the road. It won't be easy for the players to adjust during the game, but they must find success on the ground once again and take advantage of passing plays when the opportunities present themselves.
Pittsburgh's offensive line will be tested throughout the game to protect Aaron Rodgers against a tough defensive Bucs front.
The Buccaneers' overall defensive numbers are solid, but they will rely on turnovers to try to keep this game close. The Black and Gold love to allow for contests of this stature to remain neck and neck until the bitter end. Don't be shocked if Rodgers accounts for a turnover or two, and let's see this game come down to the wire.
The Buccaneers' offense is somewhat similar to the Indianapolis Colts', but lesser because of their quarterback situation. The away team's defense needs to shut down Bucky Irving and rush Jalen Hurts routinely. That will force Tampa's offense into many losing situations.
The defensive game plan for the Steelers should be fairly clear: shut down the run and make Daniels have a long day at the office.
It's not going to be an easy game, even though the Steelers should clearly win this one. They have to reach victory in contests they are expected to win, as their season only gets more challenging from here. Beating the Bucs on the road and starting to stack wins is vital if they want to compete for the postseason. Expect this one to be a win, but not a victory many are thrilled about afterwards.
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