Steelers vs. Titans: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

For the second time in as many weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers will take on a team that rests well below .500, although they certainly hope for different results this time around against the Tennessee Titans.

The Steelers put on an offensive show for the ages over the course of the past month or so but took it on the road to New York last week and lost to the Jets.

Now Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers need to find answers in a hurry. Tennessee has lost three in a row and has just two marks in the win column, but Ken Whisenhunt's team is chippy, growing and dangerous.

As far as Monday Night Football contests go, many could write this off as a passable affair. That would be a mistake, though, given the wealth of factors surrounding it.

Recouping the Losses

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Pittsburgh finds itself at a bit of an identity crossroads.

The Steelers have a reputation as a run-first team that does not disguise what it is about to do complemented by a strong defense. Thanks to Le'Veon Bell (747 rushing yards, one score), the offense could certainly proceed in this manner.

Instead, though, the Steelers have opted to take to the air to great success, as noted by Roethlisberger's historic three-game tear before the loss to the Jets:

OPP	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	TD	INT
vs HOU	23	33	265	69.7	2	0
vs IND	40	49	522	81.6	6	0
vs BAL	25	37	340	67.6	6	0

So what went wrong in New York? Veteran wideout Lance Moore appears to have some idea.

"It's the NFL, if you don't show up ready to play your type of game, you're going to lose," Moore said, per STATS LLC, via ESPN.com. "Our last game was a perfect example of that. We're hot. We came in high and mighty and a team came in and played better than us."

Rest assured the Steelers have learned from the lesson. 

Things have had a similar tone in Tennessee over the course of the entire season. The Titans got a win in Week 1 but then rattled off seven losses in their next eight games—the lone victory coming against the 1-9 Jacksonville Jaguars.

Whisenhunt recently made a switch under center that has shown some promise, though, moving away from Jake Locker and Charlie Whitehurst in favor of rookie Zach Mettenberger. ESPN Monday Night was quick to point out the all-important implications:

"

The Ben Roethlisberger vs Zach Mettenberger matchup on #MNF will be an NFL record for longest last name QB battles.

— ESPN Monday Night (@ESPNMondayNight) November 13, 2014"

Though a number of changes and subsequent developments have yet to result in notable headway in the win column, Tennessee may give Pittsburgh plenty of problems come Monday night.

Old Problems, New Problems 

As on display below, the Steelers defense is a hobbled mess that figures to be without a number of key players. 

There are some especially notable health issues cropping up in the secondary, which now allow the Steelers defense to rank 15th against the pass. In tandem with Tennessee's change under center, this may cause loads of problems Monday, per coach Mike Tomlin himself, via Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

One of the issues with Mettenberger, other than his being ridiculously hard to bring down at 6'5" and 244 pounds, is a simple lack of film.

It also helps, though, that the staff has turned more to rookie running back Bishop Sankey in recent weeks, which has allowed him to notch 357 yards and a score on 91 carries.

Chief among the problems for a hobbled Steelers defense, though, is Titans tight end Delanie Walker. Dale Lolley of the Observer-Reporter captures this sentiment from Tomlin:

Walker is Tennesee's leading receiver with 38 grabs for 512 yards and four scores. He is as prominent in Tennessee's offense as say, Jordan Cameron is in Cleveland, who torched the Steelers with three grabs for 102 yards and a score in Week 6. The same goes for Greg Olsen in Carolina, who caught five for 69 and a score in Week 3.

For the Steelers, the same old problems mixed with some changes on Tennessee's side is a dangerous concoction.

When: Monday, November 17, 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

Watch: ESPN

Betting Info: (via Odds Shark)

• Over/Under: 47
• Spread: Pittsburgh (-6)

Team Injury Reports

Player	Pos.	Status
Ike Taylor	CB	Questionable
Ryan Shazier	LB	Out
Troy Polamalu	S	Out

Player	Pos.	Status
Delanie Walker	TE	Questionable

Injury info will be updated once released, via ESPN.com.

Prediction

Gene Puskar/Associated Press

If the Steelers are lucky, last week was a jarring reminder that the run is more important than anything, especially in Week 11 with the defense suffering with health issues. 

The good news is that Bell should have little to no resistance against a Tennessee defense that ranks 29th in the league with an average of 136.6 rushing yards allowed per game. Pass defense is a strength for the Titans, but Bell is in for a huge day.

Mettenberger has provided a spark as the Titans look to play the spoiler down the stretch, but even he will be subjected to rookie mistakes on prime time. A major advantage at that position and a strength at Tennessee's top weakness will produce a road win for the Steelers.

Prediction: Steelers 24, Titans 13

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).