Matchup: Steelers, Lions pass defenses key in offensive shootout
On Sunday, the Detroit Lions (3-3) will host the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) in what many NFL analysts and oddsmakers believe will be a much closer game than fans anticipate based on the performance of these two teams in the first seven weeks of the 2017 NFL regular season. The Steelers are only three-point favorites this weekend. Yes, the Steelers are a threat offensively for any team, but the Lions have the tools to play spoiler in this game.
Le’Veon Bell is second in the league in rushing yards (684), first in carries (169) and first downs (42). Antonio Brown enters the game with 200+ yards receiving more than any other player in the league and he has 84 targets. The Lions, however, are eighth in the league in points per game mainly due to their defense that is first in the league in takeaways (14) and interceptions (9). The Lions have five non-offensive touchdowns. It is an interesting matchup.
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- Scouting report: Lions lack bite on offense; need big defense against Steelers
- Weakest Link: Steelers wide receivers
In this Week 8 matchup analysis, we’ll look at the Lions pass defense and Steelers pass defense in what looks to be a shootout between Ben Roethlisberger and Matthew Stafford.
Lions pass defense
Detroit has been able to stay in games mainly by playing steady defense. They have been earning turnovers that have flipped the field and put their offense back into the game. Against the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, the defense struggled to limit big plays. With the Steelers receivers struggling outside of Brown, this week’s game is an opportunity for the Lions’ defensive backfield to showcase their skills.
| Lions Depth Chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CB | Darius Slay | D.J. Hayden | Jamal Agnew |
| SS | Tavon Wilson | Miles Killebrew | |
| FS | Glover Quin | Charles Washington | Don Carey |
| CB | Nevin Lawson | Teez Tabor | Quandre Diggs |
The Lions built a defense around eliminating deep-ball threats. With Martavis Bryant benched, that leaves Brown as the primary threat receiver for the Steelers. That isn’t to say that there isn’t another receiver on the roster who can challenge. In fact, rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster is primed for a breakout game and there is depth at the position for Pittsburgh, but the Steelers receivers have been unreliable at times. A plus is that Brown and Bell are the only running back-receiver duo in the league to surpass 700 yards through the first seven games in NFL history, so Detroit will have plenty to focus on.
| Player | Pos | Tack | Solo | Sacks | PD | Int | Yds | TDs | Fum/Rec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Slay* | CB | 24 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 52 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Nevin Lawson* | CB | 17 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Tavon Wilson* | SS | 24 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 1/0 |
| Glover Quin* | FS | 32 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 62 | 1 | 2/0 |
| D.J. Haden | CB | 20 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Miles Killebrew | SS | 23 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 1/0 |
| Charles Washington | FS | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Quadre Diggs | CB | 14 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
(*starters)
Slay is the unquestioned leader in coverage for the Lions and roams the defensive backfield like a true ballhawk, but Quin (who was in concussion protocol and practiced fully this week) has been just as disruptive. The duo have combined for five of Detroit’s interceptions with Quin earning a pick-six. Killebrew has added an interception for a touchdown of his own. This defensive backfield is set to pick apart the Steelers offense if Roethlisberger and company can’t get on the same page in the passing game.
Steelers Pass Defense
The Steelers defense has become more dominant since the big loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (that was mainly an offensive breakdown). They had a huge game against the Kansas City Chiefs and part of their success has been great up-front pressure from their defensive line and linebackers. Defensive coordinator Keith Butler has been creative in how he has mixed personnel and the better his front plays, the more opportunities he has created for the defensive backfield under Carnell Lake to make some smart plays.
| Steelers Depth Chart | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| LCB | Joe Haden | Coty Sensabaugh | Mike Hilton |
| FS | Mike Mitchell | J.J. Wilcox | |
| SS | Sean Davis | Robert Golden | |
| RCB | Artie Burns | William Gay | Brian Allen |
The Steelers’ depth chart has been more fluid as they have inserted sub packages depending on what the opposing offense has shown. Allen, Golden and Sensabaugh have been used very little on defense and even Gay has seen less playing time as the young defenders – Burns and Davis – have been playing steady ball next to Mitchell, Hilton, Wilcox and Hilton.
| Player | Pos | Tack | Solo | Sacks | PD | Int | Yds | TDs | Fum/Rec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Haden | LCB | 14 | 12 | 1.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Mike Mitchell | FS | 26 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Sean Davis | SS | 35 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Artie Burns | RCB | 16 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| Mike Hilton | LCB | 28 | 20 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0/0 |
| J.J. Wilcox | FS | 12 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 |
| William Gay | RCB | 11 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 1/0 |
Golden Tate is the Lions’ number one receiver, but he’s been dealing with an AC joint injury in his shoulder. Tate leads the team with 36 receptions for 363 yards through six games and can prove deadly against zone defenses. He was limited in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, but that is more than many thought he’d be able to do. “I’m still trying to get my strength back and my mobility and stability,” Tate told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I kind of have that attitude that I’m going to make it work. No pain, no gain.”
Like the Steelers, the Lions have questions beyond their number one receiver. Marvin Jones has just 20 catches on the season and Stafford will have T.J. Jones and Jared Abbrederisto… and possibly get rookie Kenny Golladay into the mix after he missed time due to a hamstring injury. Golladay, like Smith-Schuster, has shown a willingness to get to the next level and step into a starting role.
- Key to Steelers win: Feed Le’Veon Bell
- Steelers offense set to explode over next four games
- What the Steelers need to do to beat the Lions
Head-to-Head
Because the Steelers and Lions are in similar situations – as far as receivers and defensive backs – the head-to-head matchup really does look closer. The Steelers get the win for the offensive line, defensive front, and rushing. Roethlisberger and Stafford are both excellent quarterbacks and their top receivers – Brown and Tate – even things out (if Tate is a go). The Lions defensive backfield has more takeaways and has been more aggressive, but they haven’t always had great support from their front and they are forced back onto the field when their offense (especially the non-existent run game) can’t convert enough downs to create big drives and score.
The overall advantage does lean in Pittsburgh’s favor, but the three-point spread (basically a field goal) is accurate on paper. How all of the numbers play out on the field is always unpredictable, and that’s why we love football.
