Behind the Steel Curtain
The Pittsburgh Steelers enter Week 13 with an opportunity to reclaim first place in the AFC North. After the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh holds the division lead as it stands, but it will give it right back to Baltimore with a loss. Can they defeat the Buffalo Bills at home? Our staff weighs in.
Mike Nicastro: The Steelers and Bills find themselves in very similar situations entering the home stretch. Both teams are trending in opposite directions at the wrong time of year. Plenty of that has to do with injuries.
On Sunday, the Bills will be missing both of their starting tackles, along with their captain linebacker Terrel Bernard, to name a few. The Steelers will be without Broderick Jones and Derrick Harmon, but Aaron Rodgers is set to return from a left wrist fracture. How effective he will be is anyone’s guess.
I’d anticipate a heavy dose of QB power runs from Buffalo, and James Cook should have his way with a leaky defensive line. The Steelers will also likely have success on the ground against a banged up Bills front.
It feels like Josh Allen will have to be Superman for the Bills to pull this game out on the road. The good news for Buffalo?
He is.
This feels like a true coin toss, and when in doubt, go with the star quarterback. Bills 24, Steelers 21.
Ryan Parish: It’s a must-win for the Steelers. Baltimore dropping a game against Cincinnati was exactly the break the Steelers needed. On paper, the Steelers’ run game should fare well against a Buffalo defense that has struggled against the run all year.
Still, this Steelers team doesn’t instill a lot of faith, and I don’t think we should be too upset if their struggles lead to a better draft pick. Buffalo 31, Pittsburgh 20.
Joey Bray: The Bills will be without both of their starting tackles in this game. These are the games you would expect your highly paid edge rushers to dominate. Alex Highsmith is back in the lineup, and we should expect both him and T.J. Watt to have massive days.
Aaron Rodgers will start for Pittsburgh after missing last week, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about a 41-year-old playing with a fractured left wrist. The Bills’ defense has been largely uninspiring this season, so I have a little bit of faith that the offense can at least put up its averages.
The key to the game will obviously be Josh Allen. The Steelers’ highest-paid defensive unit will get another test against one of the most talented quarterbacks the game has ever seen. Ultimately, I can’t trust the Steelers right now with their all-around struggles, plus a quarterback with a fractured wrist. Bills 35, Steelers 24.
Ryland Bickley: This Bills team isn’t as formidable as years past, and I’d also argue the Steelers are a bit better than everyone seems to think following last week’s loss to the...
