After leaving Pittsburgh last season, New York Jets running back Le’Veon Bell faces familiar faces on Sunday. Although the Steelers travel to East Rutherford, Bell and the Jets will look to play spoiler. The Jets (5-9) are eliminated from the playoffs but the Steelers hang onto the sixth seed by a needle. A loss for the Steelers can turn into a sweet victory for the Jets organization.
Besides Bell rocking the green, Steelers legend Hines Ward coaches the Jets’ receivers. A win for the Jets means a tremendous amount of excitement for Ward. Although he loves and is beloved by the Steeler fans and the organization, he can pick up bragging rights over his former team.
Yet, Ward will need some help from more than the receivers for this game.
Jets Keys to the Game
Last week, Devin Singletary utilized draw runs successfully against the Steelers due to the heavy rush from the defensive front. If Bell wants input on this game, he must trust his offensive line and play patiently. His patience at the line will open lanes from the defense being too aggressive. The aggressiveness killed the Steelers last week and will frustrate them again.
Another key is slot receivers. The use of Bell and receivers in the slot makes the odds slightly better compared to facing the duo of Steve Nelson and Joe Haden. The use of the middle will draw either linebacker support, Mike Hilton to jump in more, or utilize a safety instead of sitting overtop.
The last key is Jamal Adams in the air game. Devlin Hodges faced a tough defense and paid the consequences. Although the Jets do not compare to the Bills, a man-to-man coverage from Adams can create turnovers.
Since the game sits with the Steelers as three-point favorites, the Steelers have keys to keep the favorite spot.
Steelers Keys to the Game
First of all, James Washington must stay incorporated. Although JuJu Smith-Schuster is planning to return, Washington has been a handful for defenses. If he can continue to draw defenses, Smith-Schuster can return to his last season performance.
Another offensive key is to limit the rush. Rookie Quinnen Williams plans to return as well. Even though his production is lackluster, he is still a force. If the Steelers can handle him and the front line, Hodges can build the confidence up early. An early jump means a young offense learning how to click, especially for the latter part of the season.
Lastly, the defense must handle Bell. After all, who knows this defense better than nearly anybody else? Bell might not know some of the new faces, but he knows the ideals and how they will try to stop him. Although Bell might adapt early and start hot, the Steelers need to adapt too.
Keeping Bell to another low performance nearly guarantees a victory for the Steelers. However, if Bell breaks free, it will be a nightmare for the Steelers.
Prediction
Even though the Steelers are three-point favorites, the Steelers are hungry for the win. Adam Gase does not have too many answers for most teams, including this defense-heavy squad. It will be low-scoring, but the Steelers break the point spread.
Pittsburgh Steelers 24, New York Jets 10
