The road has gotten significantly tougher for the Steelers in recent weeks. Despite a strong initial record, the team has struggled in recent weeks. The main reason for this is the lack of George Pickens, who has missed the past two weeks and is set to miss this upcoming game against the Ravens. Without him, the offense has sputtered.
Despite historically struggling against the Steelers, the Ravens are heavy favorites this week and for obvious reasons. They are humming and can make a significant gain on the AFC North crown this week. If they lose, their best bet is a wild card spot as Pittsburgh would take the division. This is truly a huge game for both teams.
There are a slew of notable players that make sense as holding the key to this game. Russell Wilson will need to step up despite not having a lot of receiving talent. Calvin Austin is the de facto top receiver and he needs a big game. On defense, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig need to step up for a hampered T.J. Watt. That said, I have my eyes on one particular player who could step up huge this week.
Steelers need to find a big playmaker
I’ll be frank, I expect the Steelers offense to struggle once again. The passing game is so limited without Pickens, and defenses can key in on the run and focus less on stopping the vertical game with Pickens as a threat. The best way for this offense to win is with some big plays, and Jaylen Warren can provide that.
Warren is the only option in the running back room that can break off long runs. Najee Harris is a plodder and requires a lot of carries to compile a respectable performance. Cordarrelle Patterson has a limited role and lacks the long speed at his age to be that effective in big plays.
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Warren isn’t the fastest, but he has an explosive first step and can make anyone miss in space. He can make big plays on the ground and through the air. For an offense that has seen itself limited in recent weeks, getting a big game out of Warren could help alleviate some of those issues.
Look, Harris isn’t getting the job done now that defenses can stack the box more and focus on stopping him. Warren needs more opportunities to make those big plays, as they can easily be a difference maker. If this game is like the previous matchups, the score will be close. It will be a game of inches, so a few extra chunk plays that setup field goals or even touchdowns will be key.
Again, this offense is likely to struggle in the passing game. There isn’t a receiver that can even come close to replacing Pickens, and Harris has proven to be ineffective as a runner when defenses can at all key in on him. Warren can provide that spark and those big plays. The team needs to scheme the ball into his hands this week.