Anyone who tuned into the Monday Night Football match up between the Green Packers and Atlanta Falcons watched two of the top passing attacks in the NFL shine on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Despite of frigid temperatures and light snow, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan combined for over 700 yards passing and seven touchdowns.
Considering the Packers and Falcons have two of top passing games in the NFL, it probably should not be a surprise that in spite of the wintry conditions, these two elite passing attacks were able to put on a show.
Fast forward to the Steelers upcoming match up with the Falcons in the climate controlled comfort and fast turf of the Georgia Dome, and there are plenty of reasons to expect a similar shootout through the air.
After all, the Falcons statistically have the worst pass defense in the NFL, as they rank dead last in total passing yards allowed. This should mean players like Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant should have lots of opportunities to put up gaudy numbers.
That’s the good news.
Then there is the Steelers pass defense, which is ranked 23rd in passing yards allowed and has given up a whopping 28 passing TD’s so far this season. They also have given up an alarming number of big plays, including 14 passes of 40 yards or longer which ranks next to last in the NFL.
When you consider these numbers on both sides, you might wonder if an Arena Football League game might break out this Sunday in Atlanta.
Just this past weekend the Steelers were burned by the Bengals A.J. Green for 224 yards on 11 catches, and with the Falcons all-everything receiver Julio Jones coming off an 11-catch, 259 yard performance against a Packers secondary that is far from the maligned group the Steelers have, it could mean big trouble.
Jones did have to leave the Packers contest late due to a hip injury, and as of now, his status is up in the air for Sunday. There is no question that Jones being out of the lineup would help the Steelers cause considerably, but he is far from the only threat in the Falcons passing offense.
Along with Jones, fellow receivers Roddy White, Harry Douglas and Devin Hester are options in the Falcons passing attack. Though White has struggled with knee and hamstring injuries the past couple of years, he still has 59 catches for 704 yards, along with seven touchdowns.
The sure-handed Douglas has flourished in his role as third receiver, and caught a touchdown against the Packers Monday night. Add the explosive Hester into the fold, and you have a quartet of receivers who can make life difficult for even the best secondaries in the league.
Let’s not forget Ryan, the quarterback who quietly has put together one of the best seasons of his career in spite of the Falcons 5-8 record. Ryan ranks in the top five in passing yards (3,802), and has a QB rating just a touch below 100 for the year. Despite of a 3-3 record in 2014, Ryan has been tremendous at home, compiling a 37-10 record over his career.
This will mean the Steelers secondary could have as big a challenge as they have faced this season.
At cornerback, projected starters Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen have either been injured or largely ineffective all season long. Taylor, who is dealing with knee and shoulder injuries, looks to be questionable at best for Sunday’s game. Considering how poorly he has played in back to back games against the Saints and Bengals, where he was beaten badly by both Kenny Stills and Green, he’s not a lock to start even if healthy.
With Allen placed on the IR last week, this means William Gay, Brice McCain, Antwan Blake and B.W. Webb will be asked to cover one of the better groups of receivers in the NFL. Clearly the tandem at safety of Mike Mitchell and Troy Polamalu have struggled in pass coverage, and it’s hard to believe they can be relied on heavily to slow down the numerous passing options at Ryan’s disposal.
It will be crucial for the Steelers to get pressure on Ryan early and often. Sacks have been hard to come by this season, and the Steelers are tied for the 25th in the league with 24. The Steelers are hopeful they will have James Harrison back this week, and he and Jason Worilds will need to have big games and make life difficult for Ryan.
If the Steelers allow Ryan and company to have ample time to make plays downfield, this could turn into a shootout will have more of an AFL look than an NFL one.
