Steelers vs. Rams: What's the Game Plan for St. Louis?

The St. Louis Rams (1-1) will host the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) Sunday in an effort to redeem last week's loss. 

After beating the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1, the Rams fell to the Washington Redskins 24-10 last week. The offense was rudderless in the Week 2 contest. And while the defense was tough, it gave up far too many big plays, including a 35-yard run for running back Alfred Morris and a 39-yard touchdown for running back Matt Jones.  

If the same issues surface against Pittsburgh, St. Louis could be in for an ugly contest. To prevent that from happening, head coach Jeff Fisher will have to formulate a stellar game plan that capitalizes on the Steelers' weaknesses. 

Here's what to expect: 

The High-Powered Pittsburgh Offense Must Be Kept Out of the End Zone

Stopping a dangerous Pittsburgh offense that has scored 64 points in two games is a lot to ask. That's especially true now since running back Le'Veon Bell has returned to the lineup from a two-game suspension, per Fox Sports. 

Shutting down the Pittsburgh offense may not happen, but keeping it out of the end zone is a possibility. The Rams will put their "bend, don't break" defense in action in an effort to prevent scores. If the Steelers gain yards, that's not an issue. If Pittsburgh can repeatedly put up points, the Rams have little hope. 

Wide receiver Antonio Brown can have his fantasy yards, but the Rams cannot allow him to get behind the defense for a long touchdown or break free in the red zone. As for Bell, his rushing yards won't mean much if St. Louis can stop the pass on third down and force punts. 

Preventing the big plays may require conservative play, which will likely frustrate fans, but it's completely necessary in this game. 

After all, it doesn't matter if the Steelers outgain St. Louis in yards. The numbers on the scoreboard are the only numbers that matter. 

The Aerial Game Must Show Up 

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

The Steelers have earned Pro Football Focus' third-lowest pass-coverage grade at minus-14.8. In Pittsburgh's two games this season, the secondary has been shredded. 

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady torched the Steelers for 288 yards and a 78.1 percent completion rate, as well as four touchdowns. Even San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had a nice outing against Pittsburgh with a 71.7 percent completion rate, 335 yards and two touchdowns. 

The pass defense appears to be the Achilles' heel of the Steelers. If the Rams want to win this game, that's the aspect they must expose. 

For that to happen, the Rams need good protection up front and a great performance by Nick Foles. 

Foles has been a bit inconsistent early in his Rams career. He had a nice outing against Seattle with 297 yards and two touchdowns, but he looked totally lost against Washington. In the Redskins game, Foles missed open receivers and looked far too shaky in the pocket. 

The offensive line stepping up and redeeming itself for last week's embarrassment is vital. A dependable line will do wonders for Foles' composure under center. 

The Rams should not abandon the run by any means, but the key to beating Pittsburgh is making plays through the air. If that doesn't happen, St. Louis is finished. 

Tavon Austin Is Critical to the Offense's Success

If St. Louis hopes to spark the aerial game, it's absolutely crucial that wide receiver Tavon Austin plays a major role. As of now, he's easily the offense's top weapon, and the Rams need to take advantage of that. 

Austin scored two of the team's touchdowns against Seattle and was one of the few players capable of gaining yards against Washington—he finished second on the team with 46 yards in Week 2, just one yard shy of tight end Jared Cook. 

Washington did a decent job taking Austin out of the game. St. Louis cannot allow that to happen again. The Rams not only need to get Austin the ball, but also figure out a way to get him to the second level. Once he clears the linebackers and linemen, he's a threat to score every time. 

Some electricity from Austin on special teams would also be welcomed. The St. Louis offense struggles with points, so a nice special teams touchdown might be enough to bail it out. 

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

Key Players and Matchups

Aaron Donald vs. Cody Wallace

Pittsburgh's Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey is out with an ankle injury, per NFL.com, which leaves the Steelers with an unfortunate situation. 

Cody Wallace, a 30-year-old career backup, will fill in for Pouncey and line up across from Pro Bowler Aaron Donald. 

Donald is rapidly gaining a reputation as the best interior defensive lineman in football. Pro Football Focus ranks him No. 1 overall with a grade of 17.5. Donald already has 2.5 sacks on the year and has been highly disruptive in both of St. Louis' games. 

With an inexperienced starter in at center, the Rams clearly have an advantage in this area. 

Janoris Jenkins vs. Antonio Brown

As mentioned, the Rams must execute their "bend, don't break" defense by keeping the Steelers out of the end zone. That means St. Louis cornerback Janoris Jenkins needs a big game. 

Brown is simply a nightmare for opposing defenses. He leads the NFL with 328 yards, including a monster 195-yard performance against the 49ers in Week 2. Brown has evolved into one of the more unstoppable weapons in the NFL. 

Jenkins doesn't need to shut him down, as that's probably not a possibility, but he needs to contain him. It's fine if Brown gets yards between the 20s, but touchdowns will hurt the Rams big time. 

If Jenkins stays smart and avoids his natural inclination to be a gambler, he'll come out just fine.