Packers vs. Steelers Preview: Five Crucial Points For Winning In Week Ten
This week’s game, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ ninth of the 2023 regular season, will take place at home against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers are once again the small home favourites going into this week’s contest. The following five points are essential in my opinion for the Steelers to win their sixth game of the 2023 season on Sunday afternoon at Acrisure Stadium.
‘Love’ Numerous Thirds & Longs With six more yards to go, Packers quarterback Jordan Love is just 32 of 62 (51.6%) throwing on third downs throughout his career, while making just nine starts out of his 18 appearances. Of his 67 dropbacks in those circumstances, only 20 have yielded a touchdown or a first down, or a mere 29.9 percent. Love has had one touchdown and five interceptions in addition to being sacked four times on third and six or more. This season, four of such interceptions have occurred.
On the other hand, when opposition offences have faced third down with six or more yards remaining this season, the Steelers defence has only allowed 15 first downs on 55 total dropbacks. This season, the defence has sacked the opponent six times, all of them on third downs when their offence needs six yards or more. The Steelers defence must force Love and company to miss as many third downs and six or more opportunities as possible on Sunday because the Packers’ offensive team now has the tenth-best third down conversion rate in the league, at 41.7%.
“Tine” Will Strike Hard Into The Corners – Due to a back ailment, Jaire Alexander, the starting tight end for the Packers, is doubtful to play on Sunday. The two cornerbacks for the Packers on Sunday, assuming the doubtful Alexander sits out, will probably be Corey Ballentine and Carrington Valentine, neither of whom has much overall playing experience. While Ballentine has been traded around a few teams since being selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draught out of Washburn, Valentine is a rookie from Kentucky.
In an attempt to avoid giving up the big passing play, the Packers have utilised zone coverage a lot on defence thus far this season. With Alexander doubtful to play on Sunday against the Steelers, that tendency is expected to continue. The top two wide receivers for the Steelers, Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, should not match up well with either of those two Packers cornerbacks, even with heavy zone coverage. On Sunday, in a rare instance where the Packers will be using press-man coverage, Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett ought to go deep into the most appetising outside matchup. On Sunday, the Steelers should also use their running game to target the edges and test Valentine and Ballentine’s willingness and ability to provide ground support.
Romeo, whither art Thou? Prior to Sunday’s game against the Steelers, second-year Nevada native wide receiver Romeo Doubs led the Packers in pass receptions. With 30 receptions for 312 yards and five touchdowns going into Sunday’s Week 10 matchup, Doubs has all of them inside the red zone. Almost half of the 12 touchdown receptions the Packers have had this season come from Doubs. Unsurprisingly, with 11 third down receptions, Doubs leads the Packers in that category as well. Of them, seven have led to touchdowns (2) or first downs (5).
In conclusion, Doubs is likely the wide receiver that the Steelers need to focus on the most on Sunday, especially if the Green Bay offence gets into the red zone. This is true even though the Packers have a number of other young, talented wide receivers on their roster, including Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks.
Command Unsettling I, Gary Packers EDGE plays defence even though he doesn’t play every play. So far this season, Rashan Gary has been Green Bay’s top player on that side of the ball. Gary will spend the majority of Sunday afternoon paired up against Steelers rookie T Broderick Jones because he lines up primarily on the left side of the Packers defence. Gary is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (5) and leads the Packers in sacks (4.5) and total pressures (33). Gary has only played 42% of the defensive snaps the Packers have had this season, yet he has still managed to record those stats.
In clear passing scenarios, Gary prefers to be on the pitch, and occasionally, as part of his rush path, he participates in a T/E stunt in order to loop inside. For that reason, Steelers LG James Daniels will have to ensure that, like Jones, he is on high alert on Sunday. This season, Gary has been a reliable pass rusher, but his performance versus the run has been mediocre. That’s why the Steelers may want to run at Gary whenever they have the opportunity. Jones, who will probably be on the pitch whenever Rashan isn’t, has to have a strong performance on Sunday against Gary and fellow Packers EDGE Kingsley Enagbare. Jones performed well in his first start at right tackle in Week Nine.
Nix Nixon: This season, Packers wide receiver Keisean Nixon has emerged as one of the league’s best returners, particularly on kickoffs. Nixon, a native of South Carolina, has the best kickoff return average (28.0) in the NFL thus far this season. His longest return is 51 yards. He brought one back 105 yards for a score last season, averaging 28.8 yards per return. Nixon plays punt return duties for the Packers as well. In 34 attempts this season, he has averaged 10.6 yards per attempt.
To put it briefly, Nixon has the ability to quickly turn the field for the Packers, thus the Steelers’ coverage groups need to be sharp on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium. Through the first nine weeks of the season, Pittsburgh’s kickoff coverage unit has allowed an average of 23.5 yards, indicating that they haven’t been very good generally.
