Oakland Raiders Playbook: Pittsburgh Steelers Will Expect the Run, But a Decoy?

Looking at what the Raiders have done and done well this season, the Steelers have probably broken down film to figure out what weapons to expect.

Darren McFadden.

Zach Miller.

Insert any player who has hands.

The picture for this season, for the Raiders, beyond the first two names, any week another player will perform well. Jacoby Ford, against the Chiefs had a field day. Darrius Heyward-Bey opened up on the Seahawks. Sometimes it also helps when the defense puts on a clinic, such as against Denver, that a team is literally overrun, by halftime.

In the game against the Raiders, the Steelers will probably look at the running game Oakland has and chuckle, setting up a wall. For Jason Campbell, he will be pressed into finding a good, functioning target that can both hang onto the ball and run like mad afterwards.

Enter, Zach Miller and the decoy.

If the Steelers bite, and bring players to stop the run, a quick out can sometimes spring Miller. Likewise, the mention of a four-WR set has been brought up, but since Chaz Schilens is still on the mend this idea hasn't been brought up. However, with Jacoby Ford showing a talent for pulling Campbell's passes down like a center in basketball, maybe it's time for Hue Jackson to dust off that page of plays.

Swing passes to Darren McFadden, out routes and even reverses might pay off, depending on how deep the Steelers' line pushes behind our offensive line. Campbell has shown a good "heads up" perspective, that if his guys can't get open, to take the play downfield himself....and his head down, so he doesn't get injured.

However, Oakland's strength in this game, probably won't be their offense, but what their defense can do to the Steelers.

The Offensive Line for Pittsburgh has seen a number of injuries, added into the equation that this isn't the same team that looked strong to start with. In back to back games, the Steelers were lit up by the Patriots, and an unimpressive win over the Bengals leaves questions for the offense to answer.

Like Oakland, everything that the Steelers do comes from Ben Roethlisberger, which makes him the primary target. The running game, driven by Rashard Mendenhall is presently running at a 4.2 yards per carry, but he hasn't had a 100-plus yard day since week three against the Bucs.

If Oakland can adjust its pressure offense and get Tommy Kelly, Richard Seymour and Lamarr Houston in early and often, the Raiders can break down this well-designed running game and possibly bring down Big Ben.

The passing game for the Steelers meanwhile has been for multiple targets, which could pose a problem for Oakland.

Hines Ward and Mike Wallace both are tied for the team lead with 30 catches each, and another 25 for Heath Miller shows that the Steelers have a similar idea to the Raiders: take the yardage you can, with quick passes. Wallace is currently tied with Mendenhall for 7 TDs with the club, so the hope is that Oakland's pressure catches the Steelers unaware.

One thing that is certain for the Raiders, they can't allow the Steelers to mount another fourth quarter shootout. Last season's matchup with the Steelers was a fun contest, but as last week's game against the Patriots shows, Big Ben can still light up a fourth quarter.

Coming in, the Steelers were held to a single field goal, when the team was able to hang 23 points on the board, with three TD passes. Two 2-point conversions meant that if the Patriots had failed to score in the fourth, the Steelers would have won the game, 26-23.