This AFC/NFC showdown finds the RG3-led Washington Redskins traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. The last time these two teams clashed was 2008, the last season the black-and-gold were Super Bowl Champions. That Monday Night contest ended in a 23-6 Pittsburgh victory despite Ben Roethlisberger being knocked out of the game before halftime.
The Redskins are coming off another encouraging effort from their prized rookie QB, Robert Griffin. However, his efforts weren’t enough as Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 77-yard score in the closing minutes for the difference. At 3-4, despite being competitive in every game, the Redskins need a win here if they want to keep their postseason hopes alive (they’ve only played one game in the grueling NFC East).
The Steelers currently own a 3-3 record and have also only played one divisional game, which they won in Cincinnati last week. Their offensive line continues to be cursed with injuries, but even more troubling will be the absence of Troy Polamalu. All three of their losses have come on the road and their rabid fan base is legendary so they do have that advantage. Let’s take a look at some other matchups to look for on Sunday.
Ryan Kerrigan vs. Mike Adams
Second-round pick Mike Adams will once again be playing at RT for an injured Marcus Gilbert. In 115 pass blocking snaps, the rookie has given up three sacks (one to Von Miller, which is certainly nothing to be ashamed of), a QB hit, and four hurries. After the first month of this young season, you’d think he’d have his hands full with OLB Ryan Kerrigan, but things have changed since then.
Where has Kerrigan been lately? After putting opposing signal-callers on the ground nine times in the first four games, the sophomore has only managed a mere six hurries in the past three. Although his teammates made life difficult for Manning last week, Kerrigan didn’t, despite being mostly matched up against Sean Locklear, who was only a backup for the Redskins in 2011. Even if he returns to early-season form against Adams, there’s still a chance Big Ben could scramble away. Still, the Redskins will need Kerrigan in order to at least slowdown this potent passing attack.
Steelers Pass Rush vs. Redskins Offensive Line
The Steelers’ once-vaunted pass rush is not what it was once thanks to a combination of Father Time and injuries. James Harrison has been back for the past three games and played every snap in those contests, but only has a single sack, three hits, and four hurries to show for it. Their best pass rusher right now, Lamar Woodley, hasn’t been invisible, but hasn’t dominated either (two sacks, five hits and six hurries). Tenured Steeler Brett Keisel (a hit and eight hurries) has also barely bothered QBs, usually Pittsburgh’s sole pass rushing presence on their defensive line. By far the weakest link has been former first-round pick Ziggy Hood who has had 190 chances to rush the passer but has mustered only a sack, a hit, and a hurry.
Across from them will be a Redskins offensive line that, despite many preseason concerns, has performed admirably for their rookie QB. Harrison figures to have one of the tougher tests against Trent Williams, who continues to look worthy of the fourth-overall pick Mike Shanahan used on him in the 2010 draft. Center Will Montgomery, our second-highest graded center in terms of pass blocking (two hurries surrendered), shouldn’t be troubled in base defense by Casey Hampton but will need to keep his head on a swivel for blitzes against sub packages. Guards Chris Chester and Kory Lichtensteiger have also been reliable, allowing a combined one sack, two hits and 13 hurries. The one spot where Washington is vulnerable is at RT with backup Tyler Polumbus, who has been responsible for 20 pressures, though even he has shown improvements in the last two weeks. Woodley primarily lines up on the left side and will provide a stern test of Polumbus’ improved form. Can the Steelers’ pass rush re-ignite against this quality Redskins’ pass protection unit? The answer to that question could determine the outcome of this game.
Steelers Wide Receivers vs. Redskins Secondary
It’s no secret that the Redskins have had a miserable time trying to stop opposing wide outs. That trend should continue this week. Mike Wallace, one of the most dangerous deep threats in the league, presents a real challenge. Wallace only had one performance this season with at least 100 yards, but has found the end zone four times. He does have four drops in the last three games (including, horrifically, three of those mistakes coming last week), though, so it will be interesting to see if those stone hands show up on Sunday. Meanwhile, Antonio Brown, despite rarely finding pay dirt (one score this year), is also a real threat, especially after the catch where he has 232 yards, fifth best in the league among wide receivers. Emmanuel Sanders, Pittsburgh's No. 3 receiver, is probably best known for his suspicious sudden injury last week that helped Pittsburgh save a time out, but has otherwise contributed 226 yards on 19 catches.
Starting CBs DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson have been caught on the wrong side of highlight plays several times this season. Hall is “leading” CBs with 521 yards allowed in his coverage while Wilson is culpable for the most yards after the catch (223). Safeties Madieu Williams and Reed Doughty, despite currently owning positive coverage grades, are not ideal candidates to shut down these Steeler receivers either, with both players vulnerable if the Steelers try to isolate one of their speedy receivers on them down the field. Will this unit’s maligned reputation continue? On paper, the answer is an emphatic Yes, but we will see.
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