Editor’s note: The Steelers game won’t be shown on local television this week, so get ye to a sports bar! And screw you, NFL!
In the past few years when teams would face the Steelers they would only have to stop Ben Roethlisberger and the passing attack, but this year they have to pick their poison.
The Steelers haven’t had a top-tier running back in a few years and the weight of the offense was falling on Roethlisberger. Now, they have balance and can beat a team in two ways.
A perfect example is the Tennessee game earlier this season. Big Ben couldn’t get it going, and in years past that would lead to disaster, but Le’Veon Bell put the team on his back by rushing for 204 yards, which is fourth most in Steelers history.
Bell can also beat a team by catching the ball — he might be one of the best receiving backs in the league.
This is what the Kansas City Chiefs will have to deal with this week when they come into Pittsburgh on Sunday: who will they chose to stop because there are only a few teams out there who might be able to stop both.
Kansas City will have a big choice on their hand because they are on completely opposite sides of the league when it comes to stopping the run and pass. They are very good in pass defense and terrible in rush defense.
Bell will find a lot of room to move against a team that is giving up 130 yards a game, but the offensive line will have to sure up their pass protection.
Justin Houston, a Chiefs linebacker, has 17 sacks on the season and the team has 38 total sacks. If the Chiefs can get to Roethlisberger, it might be a tough day.
If Roethlisberger gets the time he should see some open receivers, including Bell who will come out of the back field, when he’s not being used in pass protection.
The Steelers, on the other hand, will only have to focus on one aspect of the Chiefs offensive attack, the running game.
Jamaal Charles, who started off the season on a tear, has cooled off in the past weeks. He was injured for a few weeks and hasn’t been himself, but his back-up Knile Davis has been filling in.
They need the running game to be successful because the passing game is one of the worst in the league. Alex Smith has attempted under 10 passes longer than 25 yards down the field and has only thrown for 18 touchdowns but only six interceptions.
If the Steelers can put the game in Smith’s hands they should feel pretty good about their game plan. Taking Charles out of the game will be key.
This is another game the Steelers need to have. As of right now the Bengals are still leading the AFC North, but Pittsburgh isn’t far behind.
The Ravens are also right there too, and if the postseason started today the AFC North would have three teams in the playoffs. That is how close this race is.
Pittsburgh still controls its own destiny in the AFC North race, they just need to keep winning.
