Steelers’ Weakest Link for Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals
What I’m about to type below might be blasphemy for some Steelers fans. Make no mistake about it, I will convince you that this week’s weakest link is legit: the player I choose to carry this mantle for Week 7 is none other than Antonio Brown.
I can hear the screams and sense the shaking heads already. How can the NFL’s leader in targets, receptions, and receiving yards be the Steelers’ weakest link? Moreso, how can a player who is 196 yards ahead of the second-best receiver in the league (A.J. Green) and has six more receptions than Larry Fitzgerald (second in catches) be considered “weak”?
Who is Ben Roethlisberger going to throw to? The only person he’s thrown to is AB!
Yes, that is true, but that’s not the only issue with Brown being considered as the link which must strengthen to beat the Steelers division rival Bengals on Sunday. While the Steelers have a surprisingly top-ranked pass defense, the Bengals also enter this weekend with the second-ranked unit. It’s true that both teams have faced subpar quarterbacks which have reflected on their total pass yards given up. Cincinnati has squared off with Joe Flacco and a struggling Ravens offense, been the beneficiary of playing Texans rookie Deshaun Watson in his first start, and also had the privilege (or lack thereof) of seeing DeShone Kizer of the Browns and a run-first Bills team led by Taywan Taylor.
You could say, like the Steelers, that the Bengals defense hasn’t been truly tested this season. The biggest they’ve faced is Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers who threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns (with one interception) against them a little over three weeks ago. However, the Bengals have always had corners with a strong pedigree. Dre Kirkpatrick has been an anchor on one side of the field, and while Adam “Pacman” Jones is 34 years of age, he has been spelled by second-year pro William Jackson III. Nickel corner Darqueze Dennard, like those mentioned in the last sentence, is also a former first-round pick playing at a high level.
Rounding out the defensive backfield are safeties George Iloka and Shawn Williams.
Okay, we understand that Joe, but what does that have to do with Antonio Brown? Have you not seen or heard? He’s not human!
Truthfully, if there’s a player who could bust open Cincy’s secondary, it would be AB. However, in the last four regular-season matchups, Brown Brown has been fairly absent from making a big dent in the Bengals defense. That doesn’t come from a lack of targets but a lack of production. In those four games, AB failed to reach 100 yards receiving. He’s been targetted 37 times with only 20 receptions. His catch percentage has actually been lower at home than on the road as well, with 54.5% and 36.4% outings in 2015 and 2016 games played at Heinz Field.
Even going back to 2014, Brown had two 100 yard games against the Bengals, but only caught 16 of the 27 passes thrown his direction. Barring a seven reception AFC Wild Card playoff game where Brown caught seven passes for 119 yards, he’s only had those two 100 yard games form 2014 to lean on in 13 career regular season games against the Bengals.
Even more unsightly is his four total touchdowns in those 13 games, and another goose egg in the playoff appearance.
Therefore, Antonio has been anything like A.J. when it comes to being a team killer. His counterpart has had four 100-yard performances in 11 regular season games against the Steelers, including a mammoth 11-catch 224-yard game back in 2014. Green also has six scores in those games, plus another in the postseason encounter.
That’s why Antonio Brown is this week’s weak link. With all of the hubbub surrounding Martavis Bryant earlier this week, Sunday’s game could prove to be unsafe for Gatorade jugs on the Steelers sideline should the Bengals once again find a way to neutralize Brown.
