Can the Steelers set a hard edge?
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT
Falcons 34, Steelers 34 OT
Nov. 10, 2002 at Heinz Field
It was the peak of the Tommy Maddox/Amos Zereoue experiment when the 5-3 Steelers hosted the 5-3 Falcons, and both teams would leave the game with identical records. The Steelers took a 17-7 halftime lead and expanded it to 34-17 early in the fourth quarter. A Jason Gildon sack of Michael Vick forced a Falcons punt, but Antwaan Randle El fumbled the return and the Falcons began their comeback at the Pittsburgh 37 with 10:18 remaining. A TD was followed by a Steelers 3-and-out, and then Vick threw a third-and-24 pass for 35 yards to Shawn Jefferson to set up a field goal that cut the lead to 34-27. Another 3-and-out by the Steelers set up the final touchdown, an 11-yard run around left end by Vick for the tying score. In overtime, Todd Peterson of the Steelers had a 48-yard field goal attempt blocked, but the Steelers got the ball back. Instead of attempting a 50-yard field goal, the Steelers punted, and two possessions later the Falcons tried a 56-yard field goal, which was blocked by James Farrior with one second left. Maddox then heaved a 50-yard bomb to Plaxico Burress, who was tackled at the 1-yard line as time expired. Burress’ 253 yards receiving was a career high and second all-time in team history. Maddox also had career highs of 473 passing yards and four touchdowns. Zereoue carried 37 times for 123 yards, both career highs.
TALE OF THE TAPE
“I think this is the perfect opportunity to finally get this running game back on track like the Steelers did in Week 1. The Falcons’ defense is bleeding starters. They’ve endured a rash of injuries like an Old Testament plague for crying out loud. They’re losing a starter a week. They have some undersized guys on the inside who are all 6-2 and under, and they lost their best 3-technique in Grady Jarrett. I truly believe that the road to victory this week is going to be a lot of running the ball, a lot of James Conner, and whatever Stevan Ridley contributes there. But it’s really going to be about running the ball.” — Steelers Radio analyst Craig Wolfley.
TOP QUESTION
Can the Steelers set a hard edge?
We know about the difficulties the Steelers have defending the pass, and here comes yet another set of record-breaking pass-game performers. But the Falcons will also have their quick runner back in Devonta Freeman, who’s missed three games with a knee injury. Freeman is a 5-8, 206-pounder who can run inside and out and catch short passes to destroy the perimeter. The Steelers have Mike Hilton back as the linebacker-like slot corner, and they use Coty Sensabaugh at cornerback to help the run defense. But more will be needed from their outside linebackers in the running game.the secondary.
THREE QUESTIONS: With WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER
Q: Another shootout this week?
JS: “Honestly, it’s going to be a great game. You’re talking about offenses putting up points. We’ve got to put up points, too. We talked about it all week. On the offensive side we’ve got to be more balanced, you know, running the ball. And we’ve got to finish strong.”
Q: Sharp week of practice?
JS: “Oh very detailed. Very detailed to the point of finishing blocks, doing everything in your depth with routes, things like that. Always communicating. We’ve got to communicate after every play, every series, seeing what’s next. Coach is already adjusting it in our meeting today, and this whole week.”
Q: Do you realize you’re on a three-game losing streak at home? That hasn’t happened since 2012.
JS: “That sucks man. You have fans coming in from all over the world and you can’t win a game? It sucks. Steeler Nation, they’re not happy. Obviously we’re not happy. This Sunday’s going to be the game where we’re going to change that.”
GAME BREAKDOWN
What to look for from the Steelers this afternoon at Heinz Field:
ON OFFENSE
It was a sharp week of practice and the offense appears to be confident. And for all of its talent, confidence has clearly been lacking to this point. Expect James Conner and the running game to roll, and set up Antonio Brown, Smith-Schuster, Ryan Switzer and Vance McDonald in the passing game. The Falcons are now without a fourth defensive starter, Jarrett, the active defensive tackle. The Falcons were already playing without Pro Bowlers Deion Jones (ILB) and Keanu Neal (SS) as well as fourth-year starter Ricardo Allen (FS).
ON DEFENSE
The Steelers will be without starting ILB Vince Williams. He’ll be replaced in the base defense by Tyler Matakevich, which should improve communications, and on passing downs by L.J. Fort, who’s been impressive since preseason. Also expect spot duty from athletic rookie Matthew Thomas, with cornerback Cam Sutton replacing safeties Morgan Burnett (doubtful) and Nat Berhe (IR) as the dime backer. Look for Joe Haden, the Steelers’ best man-coverage corner, to spend a lot of time with Julio Jones as the rest of the Steelers’ secondary braces for an onslaught from yet another top-6 passing attack.
PREDICTION
This is a great spot for the Steelers. They’re 13-2-1 overall against the Falcons (6-0-1 at home), 30-13 in the month of October under Tomlin (17-5 at home), and 16-4 in the second of back-to-back home games under Tomlin. The four losses were against an eventual NFL champion (Ravens), an eventual AFC champion (Patriots), an eventual AFC finalist (Jets) and an eventual division champ (Ravens). The largest margin of those four losses was five points to the Jets in 2010. On top of that, the Steelers enjoyed a crisp week of practice and face an injury-ravaged defense that’s allowed 80 points the last two games, and you have … Steelers, 37-31.
BY THE NUMBERS
0: Touchdowns by Julio Jones in spite of leading the NFL with 502 receiving yards, putting him on pace for an NFL record 2,008 yards with 0 touchdowns.
5: Sacks by Falcons defensive end Takk McKinley to tie for second in the NFL with J.J. Watt and Khalil Mack behind the 5.5 sacks by DeMarcus Lawrence.
6: Touchdowns by rookie receiver Calvin Ridley to tie for the NFL lead with Todd Gurley and Alvin Kamara. It’s the most receiving TDs ever by a rookie in the first four games.
114: Passer rating by Matt Ryan to rank fifth in the NFL.
1414: Yards passing by Ben Roethlisberger to rank first in the NFL.
DOWNLOADS
* Matakevich expects to make his first NFL start today in place of Williams (hamstring). Noticeable this week in practice were Matakevich’s loud and clear calls in getting the front seven lined up. “It’s everything,” he said. “It’s a trickle-down effect, You’ve got to get personnel, you’ve got to get the call, and once you get it you’ve got to make it fast. You can’t be hesitant. You can’t be second-guessing yourself. Once you make the call you’ve got to rock with it, make sure everyone gets it, because you want all 11 guys playing one defense. Even if it’s the wrong defense, you’d rather all 11 playing that then having some playing that and some playing another. That’s when bad things happen.”
* Last year, Roethlisberger was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl in spite of a slow start, similar to the one he’s experiencing now. After four games last season (prior to his 5-interception game against Jacksonville), Roethlisberger completed 62 percent of his passes at 6.8 yards per attempt with a 6-2 TD-INT ratio and a passer rating of 90.7. After four games this season, he’s completed 64 percent of his passes at 7.6 yards per attempt with an 8-5 TD-INT ration and a passer rating of 90.2. Still, his Wednesdays off are being questioned by fans and media. Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner pushed back. “You can still attempt to do a lot of game plan with a limited amount of reps,” Fichtner said. “I think it’s no different than what we’ve done with Ben in the past. His Wednesdays will be off. We used to do it with Hines (Ward). We’ve done it with selected elders. He’s earned that, and it actually keeps him fresh. He came out today and really had a pretty good day.”
* It’s a fourth consecutive game against a high-powered offense for the Steelers. Atlanta, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City all rank in the top 10 in passing yards per game, total yards per game and points per game. “It’s going to help us in the long run,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler. “Right now, shoot, I wish we didn’t have to play against them but we’re learning from it. I think we’re getting better. I think we’ll get better as we go along. We still have young guys playing. We’ve had some injuries that hurt us. But nobody cares about that. Only thing we care about is winning and that’s what we’ve got to do, we’ve got to win.”
* Steelers backup QB Joshua Dobbs grew up 27 miles north of Atlanta in Alpharetta, Georgia, so he was a Falcons fan growing up. He was a few weeks away from his NFL Combine in 2017 when the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter to the New England Patriots and lost Super Bowl LI, 34-28. It was the largest comeback in Super Bowl history and a heartbreaker for Falcons fans. “I was hurting for my Atlanta people,” Dobbs said. “I was. I was hurt, just because the last time any Atlanta team won a championship was the World Series in ’95. That’s when we were born. You just wanted to see something good for the city. Crazy, but it’s all good. Can’t be a fan of them now.”
PARTING SHOT
“We’ve got to start faster. I think our first 10 plays, coach is doing something with that. He’s changing it around. We’re doing a lot of stuff with no-huddle, moving the ball with five wides, using Ryan (Switzer) at running back, outside, so we cool.” — JuJu Smith-Schuster.