What to look out for in Week 7
The Pittsburgh Steelers welcome the New York Jets to Acrisure Stadium as a two-week at-home primetime stint begins. The first of the two New York teams to come to Pittsburgh comes in with a 2-4 record. The Jets dropped their third straight contest as they fell to Buffalo 23-20 this past Monday. With massive news from both the Jets and Steelers camps this week, this game continues to provide intrigue.
To begin, the Jets took the Davante Adams sweepstakes acquiring him and reuniting former pals he and Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers and Adams reignite an electric flame from their time together in Green Bay. Their connection produced over 620 receptions, 7,590 yards, and 69 touchdowns. Dominating primarily in the 2010’s the two look to find that chemistry once more late in their careers. Their opportunity to do so will debut this weekend in Pittsburgh.
For the Steelers, Mike Tomlin dropped a grenade when he announced that quarterback Russell Wilson is taking first-team reps at practice and is essentially in line to start Sunday. This would be Wilson’s first dose of regular-season action in the black and gold. This all must be taken with a grain of salt though as the official starter has not yet been named.
Regardless of who is suiting up on each side, history shows Pittsburgh as the clear driving force in this matchup. With a 20-7 record over the Jets, the Steelers will look to continue their dominance as we hit a crucial point in the season. Despite the record, the Steelers have yet to beat the Jets since 2016.
This contest will feature a mass amount of star power on both sides of the ball for both teams. Taking that into consideration, let us take a look at two key matchups to watch in this Week 7 duel.
Steelers CBs vs. Jets WRs
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The Jets adding Davante Adams to an already loaded receiver room could spell trouble for Steelers cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson. Porter and Jackson are no push-offs themselves though. The two have combined for four interceptions (Jackson 3, Porter 1), 39 tackles, and nine passes defended. The two have found elite chemistry and have posed a tough matchup to everyone they have met thus far.
Aaron Rodgers will look to break the strong connection as he gets his old buddy back. Not only are Rodgers and Adams reuniting, but he and Garrett Wilson have also seemed to find what Jets fans have been looking for. It is now two weeks in a row that Rodgers and Wilson have put up intimidating numbers. The two went for 33 targets, 21 catches, 208 yards, and two touchdowns in just the past two weeks. Whether or not Adams joining the mix plays into this connection is to be determined. Regardless, the Steelers corners must both be on top form if they are to move to 5-2.
Steelers OL vs. Jets DL
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A depleted Steelers offensive line comes into this match with a potential new quarterback behind them. If Wilson is to play, the offensive line will have to hold a strong pocket for the quarterback to do what he does best and make the big throws. Like Justin Fields, Wilson can also use his legs, but later in his career, he will likely rely on his arm a significant amount more than Fields. The Steelers’ offensive line showed improvement against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6 as they opened plenty of holes for running back Najee Harris to exploit. If they can replicate such a performance in the run game, and do the priorly stated for Wilson, they should be in good shape.
This is much easier said than done given the opponent. The Jets have arguably one of the best defensive lines in football featuring star players like Quinnen Williams and Javon Kinlaw. These two have teamed up for 28 tackles and three sacks in the opening six weeks of the season. Their pressure could be a make-or-break factor in how the game swings. The Jets’ defense altogether is impressive but up front is where they win football games. Keep an eye on these lines brawling it out and who comes out on top in terms of the penalty battle in this crucial Week 7 face-off.
What it all means
The stakes could not be higher for this primetime matchup. The Jets are more desperate than ever as a 2-5 start would put a massive damper on their playoff hopes. Meanwhile, a 5-2 start for the Steelers could give them the momentum boost they need to push through the tough upcoming schedule.
All eyes will be on Adams as he enters a building full of fans who were hopeful he would be on the other sideline just a week ago. Adams’s impact alone plays a key role this week giving the Jets even more offensive firepower. While the Steelers do not have Adams, they will most likely have Wilson for the first time.
Wilson’s performance this week (if he is to start) could determine the Steelers quarterback situation for the rest of the season. Knowing that Justin Fields has played solid football behind him, there has to be a short leash for Wilson in terms of his performance. A stingy Jets defense will be the perfect opportunity for the veteran quarterback to prove himself.
The Jets currently sit third in their division and are quickly losing ground on the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Their Week 6 loss to the Bills set them back further than they may have hoped and will now be playing desperate and hungry football on Sunday.
The Steelers must match that desperation if they are to pick up a victory this week. The AFC North remains tight as the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are tied for first at 4-2 with the Cincinnati Bengals at 2-4 and the Cleveland Browns bringing up the rear at 1-5. The Ravens will also hold a primetime matchup this week as they head to Tampa Bay to face a red-hot Buccaneers team on Monday Night. With a strong performance and a little help from the Bucs, the Steelers could regain solo positioning atop the AFC North after seven weeks.
While 4-2 sounds strong, 5-2 sounds a lot better than 4-3. The schedule only gets tougher from here for the Steelers as they look ahead to matchups with all divisional opponents, the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, and later on the Kansas City Chiefs. With plenty of unknowns this week regarding how certain players will fit in, this game figures to be a tight one and perhaps even a toss-up.
Score prediction: Steelers, 20, Jets, 24.