Steelers Now
Former NFL defensive lineman and current ESPN analyst Chris Canty believes it will get real ugly for the Pittsburgh Steelers if they lose to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
“Pittsburgh is in trouble here. Pittsburgh got a problem. Well, Pittsburgh can’t run the ball, their offensive line is porous in pass protection, and they’re going up [against] a team coming into Week 3 that’s leading the league in sacks,” Canty said on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike. “Ring the alarm if the Pittsburgh Steelers roll into Foxboro this weekend and they come out with a loss. Ring the alarm. It’s gonna get ugly real fast.”
Though two weeks, the Patriots lead the league in sacks with nine, while the Steelers offensive line has allowed seven sacks. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has also been hit 15 times.
It’s a small ample size, but the Patriots rank third in run defense (58.5 yards per game) and 32nd in pass defense (315.0 yards per game). The battle in the trenches will be crucial for the Steelers, who have failed to establish the run game and protect Rodgers in the first two games.
Rodgers wants to see the Steelers get their run game going on Sunday.
“We gotta run the ball. They play two-high, you gotta run the ball,” Rodgers said. “We gotta run the football against these combo coverages and two-high coverages. So you run the football, you have a chance to have some good play action stuff.”
On the flip side, the Steelers have to fix their run defense. They’ve been gashed in the first two weeks. The Patriots have a solid RBs tandem in Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson.
“I think it’s about being aware. A couple of times, we had them on third-and-long. I think that third-and-19 was just unforgivable,” Steelers All-Pro defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “You look at that situation, you’ve gotta know they’re playing a lot of safe football there, and, if you give up any yards, it can’t be for a touchdown. Gotta take good angles, can’t go behind blocks, gotta get off blocks. And so all of those are included in the run game, but understanding what an offense is trying to do in those situations.”
Trailing 24-17 late in the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh gave up a 19-yard rushing touchdown to Walker on a third-and-goal from the 19-yard line.
According to Seattle beat reporter Brian Nemhauser, it was the first time such a play has occurred in NFL history.
Heyward thinks the Steelers need get back to the fundamentals against the Patriots on Sunday.
“I think it’s about just us getting back to tackling well, getting off blocks, setting the edge, coming downhill — and then we can focus on getting after the passer,” Heyward said. “Until we stop the run early, we’re not gonna have a chance to get after the quarterback.”
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: [Ex-NFL Defensive Lineman Doesn’t Like Steelers’ Chances vs. Patriots: ‘Pittsburgh Is...
