Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New York Jets: Preview, Prediction, Live Stream & more
By Matt Shetler
Key For Jets:
Aug 17, 2013; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (96) reacts after tackling Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Mike Brown (12) during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports
1..Pressure with front three: A lot of times when teams play a 3-4 they don’t expect the front three to get much pressure on the quarterback. That’s not the case with the Jets, whose front three is causing all kinds of havoc. Just ask the Atlanta Falcons what they are capable of.
Rookie Sheldon Richardson is off to a strong start with 2.5 sacks and Muhammad Wilkerson has been dominant off the edge with four sacks, including one Monday night, and a forced fumble.
With the Steelers offensive line issues, the Jets front three could have a field day.
2. Create Turnovers: Roethlisberger will face a New York defense ranked second in the league, allowing 299.0 yards per game. The Jets, though, suffered a big loss Monday when outside linebacker Antwan Barnes went down with a season-ending knee injury.
However they are a defense that can get to the quarterback (fifth in the NFL with 16.0 sacks) and make the big play.
The Steelers offense, while getting much better, is still turnover prone, with a minus-11 takeaway total on the year. If the Jets force a couple of Steelers turnovers, they probably come away with a win.
3. Make the big play: The Jets are capable of making the big play and the Steelers defense has been prone to giving them up. Smith has completed 56.0 percent of his passes 20 or more yards downfield this season, fourth in the NFL, with multiple completions in three straight games. As a comparison, Mark Sanchez had only one three-game stretch in his career with multiple completions of those distances.
If the Jets can hit some big plays on the Steelers defense, it will go a long way to helping them win the game.