The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled against offenses with a full complement of weapons this season, with the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers combining for 68 points. They face a similar challenge on Sunday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers. Will the defense withstand the stress test in coverage and prevent a similar outcome as the last two times?
Their talent on offense has Mike Tomlin’s full attention this week.
“There are gonna be some one-on-one matchups. They’re just talented in too many areas for there not to be,” Tomlin said via the Keys to the Game segment of the Mike Tomlin Show. “The quarterback mobility component is a major, major component of this game, coupled with the emergence of the many eligibles that he has. And as I mentioned, the most recent one, the rookie right end [Oronde] Gadsden, really complicates matters because if you didn’t already have your hands full with the other three, now there’s another one to be concerned about.”
We have all seen Pittsburgh get gashed by tight ends this year. Here’s a brief list.
– Hunter Henry: 8 rec., 90 yards, 2 TDs
– Harold Fannin Jr.: 7 rec., 81 yards
– Tucker Kraft: 7 rec. 143 yards, 2 TDs
They fixed that problem against Tyler Warren and the Indianapolis Colts, but can they sustain it?
Gadsden has emerged as a real threat with over 65 yards in each of his last four games. The fifth-round rookie has 24 receptions for 377 yards and two TDs in the last month. For perspective, that’s a lot more than any Steelers TE has all season in eight games.
As talented as he may be, that’s a function of their offense featuring three strong receiving options on the outside. Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and Keenan Allen all have different skill sets that Pittsburgh will have to deal with, not to mention the threat of Herbert gaining chunks of yards with his legs.
On any given play, you might have Brandin Echols matched up on McConkey in the slot, Kyle Dugger or Payton Wilson on Gadsden, Joey Porter Jr. on Johnston, and Darius Slay on Allen. That’s a lot of potential one-on-one matchups to worry about. Fortunately for the Steelers, Herbert shouldn’t have much time to let routes develop. They have the league’s worst offensive line without Joe Alt and Bobby Hart, and Pittsburgh has one of the best pass-rush win rates.
Stopping the run is always a key focus for the Steelers’ defense, but how they perform in coverage against a deep and diverse set of eligible receivers will define the game.
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