After notching their first win of the season in a 43-18 blowout of the San Francisco 49ers, the Steelers head to St. Louis to face the Rams looking to build off the dominant victory. The Rams followed up an impressive home win against the defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks with an uninspired 24-10 loss to the Washington Redskins and will look to get back on track at home.
Let’s preview the match up and make a prediction.
When: Sunday, 1 p.m.
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Mo.
Watch: CBS
Spread: Pittsburgh (-1)
Series History: Rams lead 15-8-2
Last meeting: December 24, 2011 at Pittsburgh (Pit 27-StL-0)
Three keys to Steeler victory:
1. Another strong game from the Steelers offensive line – The funny thing about being an NFL offensive lineman is you rarely get noticed until you do something wrong. Maybe that’s why despite of an outstanding game by the Steelers O-line, they might not have gotten the credit they probably deserved. Their efforts gave Ben Roethlisberger ample time to make plays with his arm and helped him earn AFC Player of the Week.
The challenge this week is much more difficult. Facing what might be the best defensive line in the NFL, the offensive line of the Steelers will be asked to contain a front four where all four starters were top-15 picks. In his second season, University of Pittsburgh All-American and Penn Hills native Aaron Donald has quickly emerged in the discussion as the best defensive player in the game. Donald is capable of taking over games, so it will be imperative that he does not have a typical day at the office.
Add Michael Brockers, Chris Long and pass rusher extraordinaire Robert Quinn and this starting group is flat out nasty. To make matters more challenging, the Rams have a rotation of no less than seven players who see action and do their jobs well, including the recently signed Nick Fairley.
2. Welcome back Bell – Back from his two-game suspension, Le’Veon Bell should give the Steelers offense an immediate boost based not only on his running abilities, but his wide receiver like skills as a pass catcher. In fact, look for the Steelers to use Bell in a lot of different ways and maybe give the Rams some different looks, which might include lining up as a receiver with DeAngelo Williams lined up in the backfield.
With Markus Wheaton questionable and the Steelers cutting Troy Murphy this week, they have limited options at receiver. Bell will be a busy man on Sunday, and it won’t just be taking handoffs from Roethlisberger, it will be as a receiver also.
3. Limit mistakes and splash plays, especially in the return game – Games like these make you nervous because the Ram are not particularly strong and despite looking to be better on paper, the Steelers have been known to play down to competition in recent years. These type of games often come down to a costly mistake or penalty, so it will be important for the Steelers to limit mistakes and protect the football.
WVU product Tavon Austin can make one nervous. He’s yet to really make the impact many believed he would to this point in his career, but his speed and ability to turn a bubble screen or a punt return into a long touchdown is something the Steelers must be aware of.
The Rams offense is not all that good, but first-round pick Todd Gurley looks like he might make his NFL debut on Sunday. Like Austin, Gurley has the ability to make splash plays that can turn the game’s momentum in the wrong direction. Rookie or not, he needs to be accounted for if he plays.
Three keys to Rams victory:
1. Make life miserable for Ben – With Bell back in the fold and Antonio Brown essentially unstoppable, the Rams must put sustained pressure on Roethlisberger. The Rams are in the unique position of being able to rely on their front four for their pass rush and rarely blitz. If they get pressure with the front four, it will allow the Rams to commit to pass coverage with seven defenders and this could turn this into a lower scoring game than some might expect.
If the Rams don’t get pressure with that front four, it’s going to be a very long day for the Rams defense.
2. Utilize tight ends in the passing attack – Although no one is going to confuse Jared Cook or Lance Kendricks with Rob Gronkowski, both Rams tight ends are capable receivers who can make plays downfield. Couple that with lingering questions regarding the Steelers secondary and the Rams having a subpar wide receiving group, and look for the Rams to try and use both Cooks and Kendricks as primary offensive weapons.
3. Keep it close late, rely on kicking advantage – Despite of the Rams home upset over Seattle to open the season, the Steelers are the better team. The longer the Rams are able to keep this close, low-scoring game, the better chance they have of coming out on top. Although the Rams play in a Dome, St. Louis is not an especially tough road venue but if the game is tight and close in the second half, crowd noise will be a factor.
Another factor could be that the Rams have an edge at kicker in Greg Zuerlein. Greg “the leg” is known for his ability to hit long kicks, and if the game is close at the end, this could be important.
Prediction: Can the Steelers find a way to build off their impressive win last Sunday and win a game they should win? If Vegas is any indicator, it won’t be easy and in fact, the Steelers might be in trouble. Getting Bell back is absolutely huge for this game, and the Steeler defense should not be discounted, they might be in a for a strong year despite of all the negativity surrounding them. Let’s hope the Steelers don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Steelers 34 Rams 16
