5 Steelers to Watch: Pittsburgh hosts winless Dolphins
In this edition of “5 Steelers to Watch” Christina Rivers steps in for Joe Kuzma and selects those players every fan should keep an eye on as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Miami Dolphins.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Visibly shaken after his quarterback Mason Rudolph had to be helped off the field, Smith-Schuster was able to snag seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown before being held to just one reception against the Los Angeles Chargers. Due to the quarterback woes in Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster has yet to have a true “breakout” game this season but this very well could be the week that the young receiver makes a statement. Smith-Schuster did deal with an illness this week but there weren’t any early indications that he would not be ready come game-day.
Rudolph and offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner both made statements this week following the bye that there might be opportunities to open up the passing game a bit more. Fellow receiver James Washington is expected to play on Monday Night Football as well, making Smith-Schuster an intriguing mismatch against a Miami Dolphins team that has had trouble stopping every team they’ve faced this season.
Olasunkanmi Adeniyi
It’s been a while since ‘Ola’ has been brought up in our conversations. With T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, and Anthony Chickillo as the primary outside/edge linebackers in use, the Steelers have had plenty of success in getting quarterback hits and pressures, sacks, and being disruptive. With Chickillo being placed on the Commissioner’s exempt list (for off-field issues) and a nagging abdominal injury being worked through by Watt, Adeniyi is expected to see time on the field against Miami.
Adeniyi has been waiting for the opportunity to be the next man up, but he admitted this week that he’s not trying to take anyone’s spot. “It just depends [on] how T.J. feels,” Adeniyi said. “I feel like I’ve built myself and I’m ready… even if T.J. plays, whatever reps I do get I’m still going to play my hardest.”
Mason Rudolph
In his first game since being released from the concussion protocol, it sounds like the Steelers are ready to let Rudolph turn up the heat with the offense. Randy Fichtner would love to see the offense make longer drives and get some “chunk plays” but he and Rudolph both agreed this week that a balanced offensive attack gives the Steelers a better opportunity of taking advantage of opponents.
“You gotta have balance,” Rudolph said this week. “That’s been a point of emphasis for us. We have a lot of guys that can go deep… You’re going to see a lot more explosion and guys stretching the field.”
You can bet that the offensive line will be on their best on Monday night in offering their signal-caller the protection he needs and work the trenches up front to keep things clicking. Rudolph makes this list because everyone will be watching to see just how well he has recovered from the Ravens game and what he has in his arsenal after the team practiced during the bye week in anticipation of the second half of their 2019-20 regular season.
Cameron Sutton
Sutton may not be the ‘splashiest’ players but he’s been doing more than just treading water in the Steelers’ defensive backfield. Against the Chargers in Week 6, Sutton had two of the biggest plays in the win. The first was a nice interception of Philip Rivers. The second was an outstanding play on special teams when, as the Chargers attempted a comeback, Sutton went airborne to grab an onside kick and recover it to secure the win. “Sutton is a guy I trust,” special teams coach Danny Smith said, “and it didn’t shock me he came through with the play… We put (him) in that situation because I trust him so much and he delivered and nobody was surprised.”
Actually, there were a lot of people who were surprised mainly because of the athleticism Sutton showed in making the special teams play but also in how he’s quietly been making himself known in the backend of the defense by playing good coverage and drawing no mention because he hasn’t drawn costly penalties. Expect more of the same moving forward, including against the Dolphins.
Roosevelt Nix
Guess who’s finally back. That’s right. The hard-hitting, fullback ‘Rosie’ Nix. Nix hasn’t played since Week 1 due to injury but his return to the active roster could factor in to how the Steelers coaching staff helps Rudolph acclimate back into the game against the Dolphins.
Running back James Conner said he was the most excited about Nix’s return. “Pro Bowl fullback. Just him leading the way, him going headfirst into people,” Conner said of Nix. “I need that… the whole offense is happy to have him back.”
Danny Smith is likely thrilled as well since Nix has been a great addition to the special teams coverage squad as well. Keep an eye on Nix and how the Steelers utilize him this week. As much of a ‘baller’ as Nix is, he’ll be releasing any pent-up energy once he hits the turf.
