Still reeling from last week’s beatdown from the Buffalo Bills, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ schedule doesn’t get any easier.
The Steelers (1-4) return to play at home this weekend, but they will host Tom Brady’s Tampa Buccaneers.
While the Steelers defense will have plenty to worry about with Brady and the Tampa Bay offense, the Buccaneers (3-2) are also armed with a stout defense that could pose some problems for Pittsburgh rookie Kenny Pickett.
In his first career start last week, Pickett — the 20th overall pick in this year’s draft — completed 34 of 52 passes for 327 yards and an interception. He also rushed once for 10 yards.
To get the best of the Bucs, Pickett will have to play better than he did last week in the 38-3 loss in Buffalo. Moreover, he and the Pittsburgh offense will have to figure out how to break into the end zone.
“There were a couple (plays) that we were a couple of inches away,” Pickett said. “A foot being in bounds versus out of bounds, I’ve got to give better balls there. Those guys will come down with them. And I think we’ve got to be more aggressive in certain areas and mix it up. We’ll do that and we’ll get in the end zone.”
If Pickett throws for 300 yards or more against the Bucs, he’ll join a pretty exclusive group of players. Cam Newton, Kyler Murray and Justin Herbert are the only quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to throw for that many yards in each of their first two NFL starts.
But doing that against Tampa Bay’s defense will be easier said than done. The Bucs have allowed just 16.6 points per game this season, which is sixth-best in the league this year. Tampa Bay is also fourth in yards allowed per play at 4.7, and their nine takeaways rank tied for fifth-best in the NFL through five weeks.
This will be the third consecutive season that guard James Daniels, who played for the Chicago Bears before signing with the Steelers in the offseason, has played against the Bucs.
“I know how good their defense is,” Daniels said. “Every year, for the past couple of the years, they have easily had one of the best, or top three defensive fronts in the NFL.”
As of the latest injury reports, wideouts Julio Jones (knee), Russell Gage (ankle) and Breshad Perriman (knee, hamstring), safety Logan Ryan (foot), defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (foot) and tight end Cameron Brate (concussion) are all banged up for Tampa Bay for Sunday’s matchup in the Steel City. Jones, Gage, Hicks and Ryan were among eight Buccaneers who did not practice on Wednesday.
Jones — the seven-time Pro-Bowler who signed with Tampa Bay this offseason — was a late scratch before kickoff last week when the Bucs beat the Falcons 21-15. Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles doesn’t want to rush him back.
“We want (Jones) fully healthy. Not coming out for a week then missing another couple weeks,” Bowles said. “We think we’ve got enough guys to weather that storm.”
And if Brate can’t go Sunday, Cade Otton could start at tight end. The rookie from Washington caught six passes for 43 yards against the Falcons and was moved up on the depth chart this week ahead of Kyle Rudolph.
“He blocked well, he caught the ball well, he understands the game,” Bowles said of Otton. “He’s only going to get better for us. He’s a very big piece of what we’re trying to do, and his role has already expanded.
The Steelers remain depleted in the defensive backfield as Levi Wallace (concussion), Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee), Damontae Kazee (arm), Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) and Terrell Edmunds (concussion) are all up in the air to play against the Bucs. Tight end Zach Gentry (knee) and defensive tackle Montravius Adams (hip) are also among those whose playing statuses for Sunday are uncertain.
–Field Level Media