Pittsburgh Steelers Game Day: New York Jets Preview

by Mike Drakulich (PghSportsNation) on December 22, 2019

Welcome to the most comprehensive Pittsburgh Steelers Game Day Preview on the internet! Steel City Underground is where you come to find everything you need to know about the Steelers and their upcoming opponent! Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation) brings you inside the huddle for both teams, providing all fans with a weekly game story, Steelers keys to success, score prediction, game information, a detailed breakdown of each team, individual stats, team stats, and team injury reports. Heck, you’ll even know the weather at kickoff! The only thing you’re missing is a game uniform!

Steelers still control their playoff destiny as they face the Jets

The days of having a fall back crutch are all but over. When the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6) visit the New York Jets (5-9) this Sunday, they will be in control of their own playoff destiny. Win the last two games of the year and they are in as the AFC 6th seed. If the Steelers split their final two games, they will have to hope the Tennessee Titans lose when they face the Houston Texans next week in the regular season finale.

Perhaps the return of Juju Smith-Schuster and Vance McDonald will help.

“I’m super excited,” Smith-Schuster said, “just because I haven’t been (playing) for a while. And now that I’m back, to be around my boys, the coaches, players, and just to be myself.”

The offense has struggled to score and be consistent ever since Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season in week two. Yet playing mistake free ball, combined with timely scoring and having one of the best defenses in the NFL has propelled the Steelers from a 1-4 start to the cusp of a playoff berth.

The Steelers will try to grind out the rushing attack despite abandoning it during the 2nd half last week vs Buffalo… a mistake that watched a 10-7 lead turn into a 17-10 loss, as Duck Hodges tossed four interceptions and also lost a fumble inside the Bills ten yard line by running an ill-timed wildcat play with players that were unfamiliar in running it.

“I don’t know about that,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in regards to a question that asked if his team abandoned the running game too quickly last week. “A little situation in the second half may have dictated a little bit more. At halftime, it was close to 50-50. I don’t know if it’s always about the number. You like to kick yourself sometimes and say maybe we should have run it more here, maybe we should have passed it a little bit more on first down — things like that.

“It goes back to efficiency. We have to be efficient when we do call the run and the pass and expect that we’ll obviously protect the ball as well.”

With James Coonner back healthy for a 2nd week in a row, perhaps the team will hand the ball off to him more than just eight times, as they did vs the Bills, despite Conner chewing up big chunks of yards vs the Bills.

“If that’s how the game goes, I’ll be ready for whatever,” Conner said. “I just execute the plays that they call.”

Fellow RB Jaylen Samuels knows the job calls for more than just running the ball.

“We have to find a way to get on the edges and attack the weak spots,” Samuels said. “When they’re sending pressure on third downs and we know it’s coming, we’ve got to pick it up and execute. That’s the main thing we have to do.”

QB Sam Darnold is getting better for the Jets, but he isn’t there just yet. If T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree continue to wreak havoc, then the defense should be able to cause a few turnovers on the day. Le’Veon Bell is a shell of his former self. The Jets have some talented wide-outs in Robbie Anderson and Jamison Crowder, but they have been inconsistent.

This team has endured plenty of hardships this season and has found ways to continue winning despite the adversity it has faced. It will be another close game that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but at the end of the day.

Prediction: Steelers 20 Jets 10

Pittsburgh’s Key’s to Success

Juju Smith-Schuster

Line him up in the slot. Have James Washington and Dionate Johnson on the outside with their speed, and let Juju manipulate the middle where he is at his best.

17

That’s the minimum goal offensively for the Steelers to score. One touchdown in six of seven games isn’t gonna cut it.

Duck Hodges

He needs to play smart and take his shots when opportunities arise. The Jets will likely stack the box and dare him to throw. With a full compliment of weapons available, Hodges should be able to hit a few deep shots and keep the Jets honest.

Run the damn ball

James Conner ran well last week, yet he only was given eight chances! The Ravens pounded the ball successfully last week vs the Jets. Persistence pays off.

Sam Darnold

Keep the pressure on Darnold, who is prone to turnovers.

Get reacquainted with Le’Veon Bell

Nice talk aside, he’s the enemy now, and when he gets the ball, you lay the wood to him. Contain Bell and you keep this offense quiet.

Game Information

Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ.
Field: Synthetic Turf
Game-time: Sunday, December 22nd, at 1:00 pm ET
TV: CBS (Local on KDKA-TV)
Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Dan Fouts (analyst) Evan Washburn (reporter)
Local radio: Pittsburgh- 102.5 WDVE & WBGG 970 AM
Announcers: Rob King (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline) Missi Matthews (sideline)
Internet broadcast: Steelers Nation Radio (SNR) on Steelers.com
Weather at kickoff: Sunny and 43. Winds WSW 5-10 MPH.
Vegas line: Pittsburgh -3.5
NFL Standings / NFL Scoreboard

Pittsburgh Steelers vs NY Jets History

Series history: Began in 1970
Steelers are 20-5 overall vs Jets
- At home: 10-1
- On the road: 10-4
- Postseason: 2-0
Streak: Steelers won the last game.
Last regular-season meeting: Steelers Win, 31-13 (Oct. 9, 2016)
Last postseason meeting: Steelers Win, 24-19 (Jan. 23, 2011) AFC Championship Game