Here are the KEEEEEYYYYYS to Steelers/Seahawks:
Stop the run:
--The Hawks want to be 50/50 run/pass and they love to use play action to big play you. Where have we seen that before? Oh yeah, the Patriots did it last week.
--Carson and Penny are both physical runners.
--Russell Wilson can make stuff happen on the edge on option type stuff.
--The Panthers did a lot of that last year until the Steelers game.
--I thought Tomlin and Bulter came up with a great plan against Cam Newton. They didn’t worry about the handoff so much and just were relentless at hitting Cam Newton.
--Let’s see if Seattle wants to do that kind of stuff.
Get pressure on Wilson:
--He was sacked 4 times last week and pressured 9.
--I didn’t think the Steelers got washed in that category last week. The stat sheet says otherwise.
--I actually thought dudes were beating their man, but it didn’t matter because Brady got rid of the damn thing so quick.
--Maintain gap discipline, too. Dupree and Watt need to set the edge. Guys up front need to maintain gap integrity.
--You don’t want Wilson getting to the outside and scrambling. You don’t want him to have free yardage in the middle of the field, either.
--I don’t LOVE the Seahawks receivers. Lockett is banged up. Metcalf is on his way to being a stud.
--But I don’t think they’ll be able to create great quick separation. Get to the QB. Disrupt timing. You’ll have a beat longer to get there, methinks, then you did last week.
Don’t get beat deep:
--Metcalf had 22.5 yards per catch last week in his NFL debut. Give me a safety over the top. AND if Sean Davis plays, I have faith he will be able to help there.
--If it were Kameron Kelly again? I’d be flippppppping terrified.
Protect the football:
--Seattle wasn’t very good last week. They gave up big plays. They couldn’t run the ball. They couldn’t protect their QB. BUT, they won the turnover battle 3-1.
--The Steelers actually did a fair job at protecting the ball. Ben threw a lazy pick late.
--But, Seattle was out gained by 200 yards. They had the ball for 10 fewer minutes than the Bengals.
--Protect the ball and make some big plays.
Use your good players:
--JAMES WASHINGTON PLEASE! Had a 45 yard catch last week. The Hawks gave up plays of 55, 36, 35, 33 and 24 yards last week.
--Washington is the guy.
--Under no circumstances should Switzer play more than Washington. Certainly not more than Conner. He played more than both last week.
I have the Steelers winning 24-13.