Steelers vs. Titans: What Are the Experts Saying About Tennessee?
A nationally televised matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers may be one of the last opportunities for the struggling Tennessee Titans to pull something positive out of this season.
Even if the Titans string together some wins against below-average teams remaining on their schedule, it won't undo the disappointment that has already occurred.
This game against the Steelers is always a fun one to watch, no matter where the teams sit in the standings. I fully expect the Titans to play much better than they have in recent weeks. That still may not be enough to beat a much more talented roster.
Here is what some of the experts are saying for this game, which will be televised on ESPN's Monday Night Football.
Jim Wyatt: Mettenberger Needs to Make Quicker Decisions
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An early knock on Mettenberger is that he's holding on to the ball too long inside the pocket, leading to easy sacks. One of the keys for the Titans against the Steelers will be quicker decisions from Mettenberger, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.
One of Mettenberger's biggest strengths can also be his biggest weakness. Mettenberger's willingness to stand inside the pocket to deliver an accurate throw is promising, but he's got to get better at shifting inside the pocket when pressure comes.
The Steelers are going to bring some unique blitz packages to confuse Mettenberger. It will most likely lead to some mistakes, but how costly those mistakes will be is up in the air. He has to avoid playing "hero ball" and trying to rush throws that aren't there.
I find it very unlikely that Mettenberger shows much improvement this week under the pressure of Monday Night Football. This game will have to be won on the ground. However, if Mettenberger can avoid taking costly sacks, it will give this Titans offense a chance to convert short first downs on the ground. If he does that, then the Titans have a shred of hope to win a low-scoring game.
Paul Kuharsky: Jason McCourty Playing Well Against No.1 Receivers
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The Titans have quietly risen to 10th in the NFL in passing defense, thanks in large part to Jason McCourty.
McCourty has been performing well against No. 1 receivers on the opposing team, per Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com.
There haven't been many positives to pull from this team, but McCourty is an unsung hero for keeping this secondary from being historically bad. The fact that the Titans are ranked in the top half of the NFL in passing defense is a testament to McCourty's leadership.
His most recent matchup against Steven Smith Sr. left the veteran receiver with just 17 yards. The defense made that game interesting when the Titans really had no business keeping it that close thanks to an offense stuck in neutral.
McCourty has another tough assignment against the Steelers with the always electric Antonio Brown. This matchup is a big X-factor in if this game can remain competitive until the end. However, the Steelers have other receivers who can take advantage of the young Blidi Wreh-Wilson on the other side.
Associated Press: Alternate Plan in Place If Delanie Walker Can't Play
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The brutal hit that Delanie Walker took in a Week 10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens leaves me with a lot of doubt that he'll be able to suit up just a week a later.
There is a backup plan in place at the tight end position if Walker indeed can't play against the Steelers, according to The Associated Press.
The major issue here is that the three tight ends who are behind Walker have virtually zero NFL experience. Chase Coffman will be the No. 1 tight end, with Brett Brackett and Richard Gordon behind him.
It looks like the Titans will have to rely on those three since Walker still isn't practicing, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean:
"#Titans TE Delanie Walker (concussion) listed as Did Not Practice on today's injury report
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) November 14, 2014"
Earlier injuries to Craig Stevens and Taylor Thompson leave the cupboard extremely bare at tight end. This is just another obstacle for an offense that was already struggling with Walker on the field.
The Titans are going to have to establish some form of a running game early on to keep some pressure off Zach Mettenberger. There's just no way the Titans will be able to solely rely on the pass.
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Nate Vandergrift: Predicts an 11-Point Victory for Pittsburgh
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This game has the probability of being another low-scoring affair, much like the Titans' previous game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Titans defense will have to win this game for Tennessee, but Nate Vandergrift of RantSports.com predicted a final score of 28-17 in favor of the Steelers.
Vandergrift brought up an interesting trend concerning how bad the Steelers have been against losing teams, going 7-11 since 2012. It's a big reason, and maybe the only reason, I give the Titans an outside chance of getting an improbable victory for their home crowd.
With that said, the Steelers are already coming off an ugly loss to the New York Jets. They'll be coming into LP Field angry, and their talent will do the rest to win by seven.
Neal Coolong: Steelers Have Multiple Advantages
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You would have to do some serious digging to find any clear advantage that the Titans have over the Steelers, and Neal Coolong of SB Nation's Behind the Steel Curtain writes that the Steelers have multiple advantages.
Coolong points out that the Titans will have a hard time winning one-on-one battles on the defensive line and in the secondary. I agree with the Titans probably not having an answer in the secondary, but it's not crazy for me to think that the Titans have a decent shot at putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. The Titans have gradually been improving in this area, so there might be a small advantage here.
The most obvious advantage for me sits in the passing game with Roethlisberger over rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who's heading into just his third career start. Mettenberger clearly has the tools to eventually become a successful starting quarterback, but it's not coming on this big stage against a top-tier quarterback in Roethlisberger.
Pittsburgh's receiving corps is also far better than the slumping Titans receivers, with Antonio Brown leading the way. This is where the Steelers will overpower the Titans and ultimately pull out a narrow road win.
Titans Blogger Tom Gower: Sankey Listed Ahead of Greene on RB Depth Chart
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We all figured this was going to happen eventually, and now it seems to have happened. Bishop Sankey is listed ahead of Shonn Greene on the unofficial depth chart, per Titans blogger Tom Gower:
"Not sure if this has been noted yet, but Bishop Sankey now listed ahead of Shonn Greene at RB on #Titans unofficial depth chart.
— Tom Gower (@ThomasGower) November 13, 2014
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Greene has been one of many disappointments from this offense in 2014. The Titans needed him to be the veteran presence who could get reliable yardage on first and second downs. He's been anything but that, and it may have hit a tipping point when he fumbled on the goal line against the Ravens.
On the other hand, Sankey is gradually getting better and better. His numbers aren't overpowering, but he's making progress despite having very little around him. A breakout game from Sankey against a 20th-ranked Steelers rush defense is very possible.
Sankey has appeared ready to take on the full load in the run game.
The Titans are suddenly a very young team on offense, with Nate Washington really being the only veteran remaining at a skill position.
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