Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in Steelers' Week 11 Contest with Titans
Only two weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were on the verge of joining the ranks of the elite in the AFC. An offensive explosion led by Ben Roethlisberger caught the attention of the entire league.
It did not take long for the Steelers to come crashing back down to earth. Against a New York Jets team that was on an eight-game losing streak, they had their worst loss of the season. Now they get to follow it up with another of the NFL’s worst teams—the Tennessee Titans.
Ken Whisenhunt will lead the 2-7 Titans against a Steelers team that is desperate to get back into the win column. However, it will not be easy, as Mike Tomlin’s teams have struggled against the weak part of this schedule.
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According to ESPN.com, the Steelers have not fared well on the road during the second half of their schedule. They have lost six of nine road games against teams with a winning percentage below .300 during this time. Early deficits and a minus-15 turnover differential were large contributors to these losses.
Although the Titans fit the criteria as a subpar team that the Steelers have struggled against under Tomlin, they also are starting a rookie quarterback. Zach Mettenberger is starting for just the third time in his career and has to face a Dick LeBeau defense.
Though the defense isn’t what it used to be, the Steelers are still 18-2 against rookie quarterbacks since LeBeau returned as Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator in 2004. However, this game won’t just be about Mettenberger.
Here are three key matchups to watch for as the Steelers battle the Titans on Monday night.
Daniel McCullers vs. Brian Schwenke
Defensive line coach John Mitchell announced on Steelers Nation Radio, per Teresa Varley of Steelers.com, that sixth-round draft pick nose tackle Daniel McCullers will make his first career start against the Titans.
The 6’7” and 352-pound McCullers has only played in 23 defensive snaps, according to Football Outsiders. That includes 10 snaps last week against the Jets.
McCullers has not been a key member of the defensive unit, but he has displayed potential in his limited action. In his season debut against the Houston Texans, he demonstrated his power against Chris Myers and drove him into the backfield on one occasion.
McCullers will match up against center Brian Schwenke, who did not have a great performance last week against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Steelers will need McCullers to control the line of scrimmage to help limit the Titans on the ground. They are not a particularly strong rushing team, ranking 23rd in the league, but Bishop Sankey has the ability to take control of Pittsburgh’s defensive front if it is undisciplined.
Teammate Steve McLendon believes that McCullers is up to the task, via Teresa Varley of Steelers.com:
"You can’t move him. He is way bigger than most guys. That is going to help if they try to run the ball downhill on us. Double teams won’t be able to move him. He has strong hands and long arms. He just has to keep doing the little things, pad level, quick hands and make sure he is moving his feet and run to the ball.
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McCullers has the potential to make a big impact, but he must maintain his assignments, shed the offensive linemen and not over-pursue the runner when he has a chance to make a play in the backfield.
There is always a concern when a rookie is on the field and will be a matchup that the Titans will look to exploit. A rookie mistake could mean a game-changing play by Tennessee and trouble for Pittsburgh.
Ramon Foster vs. Jurrell Casey
The Tennessee Titans do not have many stars on their team, but one that the Steelers must pay attention to is Jurrell Casey.
According to Pro Football Focus (h/t Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com), Casey is ranked 11th out of 50 3-4 defensive ends. At 6’1” and 305 pounds, he has good strength and a low center of gravity, which allows him to shed blockers to make plays at the line.
Although Tennessee ranks 29th in the league with 136.6 yards allowed per game, Casey is good against the run. He will present a tough challenge for Ramon Foster and Pittsburgh’s ground attack as he did last week against Baltimore.
Casey has 37 tackles and four sacks on the season, including six tackles against the Ravens. On one particular play, he was able to fight off the left guard to fill the running lane and stop Justin Forsett for a short gain.
With his presence in the middle, the Steelers will have to use Le’Veon Bell’s speed to get around the edge to maximize their running efforts. Otherwise, he may be seeing plenty of No. 99 in his running lanes.
Expect the Steelers to give Foster some help with Maurkice Pouncey. Of course, they could also focus their running efforts to the right side of the line to avoid Casey altogether. Either way, Casey will be a force in the trenches and a player that offensive line coach Mike Munchak must game-plan for.
Given that it is against his old team, the Steelers offensive line is a motivated bunch, according to left tackle Kelvin Beachum, via Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com:
“I know he’s not in it for personal reasons,” Beachum said. “He knows that we need to win, and it’s another step in our journey. We’re coming off a horrible loss in New York and we know we have to bounce back quickly. It’s icing on the cake that it’s ‘Munch’s’ old team.”
Munchak knows the Titans well, and he will have Foster prepared for one of the best players on Tennessee’s defense
Martavis Bryant vs. Blidi Wreh-Wilson
In his short time in the lineup, wide receiver Martavis Bryant has established himself as legitimate big-play threat for Roethlisberger. He already has 14 receptions for 310 yards, six touchdowns and an incredible 22.1 yards per reception.
Bryant continued to display his ability as a deep threat last week when he torched the Jets’ secondary for an 80-yard touchdown. Though it wasn’t the designed play, it was still effective and something that defenses must consider.
Bryant ran a fly pattern down the right side of the field and had inside position on the cornerback, but Roethlisberger was forced out of the pocket to the left side of the field. Rather than give up on the route, Bryant cut across the field to provide his quarterback with a wide-open target.
Roethlisberger heaved the ball up, and Bryant brought it in at the 20-yard line where he easily ran in for a touchdown. As each week progresses, the rookie receiver continues to develop chemistry with his quarterback, so these types of plays can develop when the original play does not work.
Bryant should be in for another big game as he gets to face Blidi Wreh-Wilson. He ranks 105th out of 106 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus Focus (h/t Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com). He should be a frequent target for Roethlisberger.
Wilson was not at his best last week, and Twitter took note:
As the Steelers look to regain their offensive edge, they must continue to expand Bryant’s role in the offense. No cornerback has been able to keep up with him on deep routes and he has a three-inch height advantage this week against Wilson.
Unlike last week, the Steelers cannot sit back and play it safe against the Tennessee defense. Instead, they must take advantage of matchups such as Bryant against Wilson. By doing so, they can regain the explosive element to their offense and once again light up the scoreboard.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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