When the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets visit town on Sunday night football, the Pittsburgh Steelers will pay tribute to their 1974 Super Bowl-winning squad. Under the lights, Pittsburgh will even don its vintage block number uniforms from the 1970s.
Justin Fields may play in some packages, but Russell Wilson is expected to start for the Steelers for the first time. The Steelers are now -1.5 underdogs (FanDuel) against the Jets, who have been revitalized.
This week, the Jets (2-4) acquired superstar wide receiver Daavante Adams, bringing him back together with his old quarterback, the Rodgers, as previously stated. They just demoted offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and sacked head coach Robert Saleh after losing to the Buffalo Bills 23–20.
Here are my predictions for the Steelers vs. Jets game, which is quickly approaching:
Mason McCormick (66), a guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers, blocks during an NFL football game on Sunday, September 22, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (Photo courtesy of Matt Durisko)AP
Players on the spot: The Jets’ pass rush must be slowed down by the Steelers’ offensive line. For the most part of the season, aside from Quinnen Williams and Will McDonald (+1400 DPOY chances on DraftKings), there hasn’t been a good pass rush. But with all the ailments the Steelers have up front, those two are dangerous. The injured Zach Frazier will be replaced by Ryan McCollum, while Broderick Jones will try to slow down McDonald. Russell Wilson should have ample time to uncork a couple long balls if they can adequately protect him. This will help against the Jets’ injured secondary.
Starting outside cornerback D.J. Reed and slot cornerback Michael Carter II are probably sidelined for this matchup. Chuck Clark, the starting safety, will not play. There may be opportunities for Pittsburgh to pick down the field. In addition, the Jets’ running defense success rate places them 27th. The Steelers may have some offensive ground to gain if Pittsburgh can hold up and generate some movement.
You shouldn’t be shocked if…The Jets attack is too strong for the Steelers defense to handle. Against the Bills, the Jets’ offense began to pick up steam in a manner they had not seen before. The weapons, which include Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, and numerous others, are noteworthy when Adams is included. The Jets have a very talented offensive line that should perform far better than they have so far this season.
The Steelers’ passing game predictability, however, is the true cause for concern. They disguised their coverages at the second-lowest percentage in the NFL and played Cover 3 or Cover 1 75% of the time. The Steelers are 31st in EPA/Play when quarterbacks get the ball out in less than 2.5 seconds. Rodgers has the second-fastest throw time in the NFL thus far this season. An simple template for this Jets team to attack the Steelers is provided by the club’s 74 percent motion utilization rate from last week, which helped identify coverages for Rodgers.
I LIKE PROP BETS:
Over 50.5 receiving yards for Garrett Wilson (-114, FanDuel)
Jaylen Warren has more than 40 rushing yards (DraftKings: +340).
Jets +124, DraftKings, over 7.5 first-quarter points
PREDICTION: The Jets received a boost of energy this week, and the Steelers are not playing well due to their injuries. Since the run game will likely have some opportunities, the Steelers offense can score with Wilson or Justin Fields manning it in this one. Particularly with Wilson, injuries can cause the deep ball to pop. Their potential is limited by Frazier’s injury, though, and the Jets offense complements the Steelers defense quite nicely. I’m picking Rodgers and the Jets to win this game because they seem like the favorites for a reason. If the Steelers prevail, it will be because they have a defensive strategy that we haven’t seen from them yet this season.Jets 24, Steelers 19.
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Nick Farabaugh