The Pittsburgh Steelers earned a hard-fought 18-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but a road test against the Denver Broncos could end up being a trap game. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has a reputation for playing down to opponents, especially when there is a large gap between the teams. Can the Steelers shift the narrative while continuing the positive start to the 2024 season?
Defense Can Counter A Trap Game
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Pittsburgh’s defense knew the pressure was on in Week 1 with Justin Fields getting the last-minute news that he would start. Despite Atlanta claiming they could contain him, TJ Watt was a human wrecking ball throughout the game. The Pittsburgh Steelers rode a second-half shutout to their opening win, and Pittsburgh will be looking to keep that momentum going in Denver. It won’t be a veteran quarterback that the Steelers will be going up against, with rookie Bo Nix making his second-ever NFL start. Watt and the rest of the talented defense are eager to shut down anything the Broncos try to accomplish with Nix under center.
Denver didn’t look much better than the results during the two Russell Wilson seasons. Nix was forced to throw 42 times for two interceptions and no scores, all while turning the ball over twice and still leading the team in rushing. For a rookie quarterback early in a season, that is a lot of energy used for very little payoff, and that was against the Seattle Seahawks defense. Pittsburgh has the most money in the league invested in its 2024 defense, and it already looks like that will be the foundational strength of the Steelers if this team is going to be successful.
George Pickens Still Wants More
Now in his third NFL year, George Pickens spent the offseason preparing to leap from being a breakout young receiver to being a star and household name. If his performance against the Falcons in Week 1 is anything to go on, 2024 should be an inspiring campaign for Pickens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some sideline reactions from Pickens during his first two NFL seasons stemmed from the desire to get more targets, something new Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith was more than happy to provide.
Pickens was targeted seven times in Atlanta for 85 on six catches, minus a 36-yard controversial offensive pass interference call. No other Steelers’ receiver got more than two targets, with Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson each catching one pass. Fresh off a four-year, $48.4-million contract extension, Pat Freiermuth caught all four of his targets for 27 yards. Pittsburgh’s Week 1 offense was led by the running game, with Fields throwing 23 times, but the Pittsburgh Steelers finished with 41 rushing attempts on the day. Pickens appears poised to have a stellar 2024 season as the offense progresses, as it’s already clear he’s the focus.
Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Conundrum
Wilson is still dealing with a calf injury, with the team preparing for Fields to get his second consecutive 2024 start. Chris Boswell and the defense carried the team in Week 1, but Fields isn’t being too hard on himself or the offense, considering the victory. Despite not finding the endzone, iffy officiating and negative plays had the Pittsburgh Steelers in a hole for many offensive drives. Smith called an excellent game in his first outing with the Steelers, and the Broncos should be a challenge as Pittsburgh fans hope Tomlin can avoid playing down to a less-talented Denver squad.
If it is Fields under center, he will need the big names on the offense to step up and take some pressure off the defense. Pickens is playing his part already. Najee Harris was fighting off defenders in the backfield all day and still got 70 yards on 20 carries, so the pieces are moving in the right direction. There is the sense that with a few tweaks, the offense could begin opening up and showing the stark difference between a legitimate NFL strategy and what Matt Canada had been putting together for years. Pittsburgh’s offense should handle the Broncos’ defense, but this is a Tomlin-coached team, so there is no guarantee.
Turnovers Are Pittsburgh’s Strength
In 2023, the Pittsburgh Steelers were tied for the third-best NFL team regarding turnover differential. Pittsburgh finished 2023 with a +11 turnover difference, and in Week 1 of 2024, the team is already off to a hot start with a +3 differential. That number would have been much higher, but Watt had two strip sacks taken away in a poorly officiated Atlanta game. With a defense as dangerous as Pittsburgh’s, consistently taking the ball away will be critical to the Pittsburgh Steelers getting back among the elite NFL teams.
It’s a two-way street, though, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been very good at protecting the football. Pittsburgh had 16 total turnovers in 2023 and started without committing one against Atlanta. Denver’s defense had two takeaways, but the offense turned the ball over three times. Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton shouldn’t expect Pittsburgh to turn the ball over, so any mistakes by his offense are sure to come back to bite them.
Final Thoughts And Prediction
The Pittsburgh Steelers have the hardest 2024 schedule in the NFL, so getting off to a fast start was an absolute must. A strong Week 1 victory has the team eager to keep the pace going, despite the concern throughout Pittsburgh over the potential for Denver to be a Tomlin trap game. While Nix is a competitor the Broncos drafted for a reason, the Steelers take great pride in making life incredibly difficult for rookie quarterbacks. It isn’t just Watt that should worry Denver; the entire Pittsburgh Steelers defense is hyped up and wants to show why they are worth the money.
The win over the Falcons showed that the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers can tough out victories, but the fans want to see a real, high-scoring offense for the first time in far too long. With a full week under his belt to prepare as the starter, Fields wants to be a reason the team gets to 2-0. If the Pittsburgh Steelers somehow drop this road game, it won’t be because the Broncos were better; it would be another case of Tomlin being unable to elevate his team in should-win games. It shouldn’t come to that, though.
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