Patriots opponent preview: Turnover battle will be crucial against Steelers

[PatNation]

Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Patriots will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the 7-5 Steelers in primetime. The New England Patriots’ hopes of making the playoffs are on life support. At 2-10, their chances of qualifying for the tournament are quasi non-existent — and their trip to Pittsburgh on Sunday might be the final nail in the coffin: the Steelers, after all, are entering the game at 7-5 and currently in the postseason picture in the AFC. While they face their own set of issues, the Steelers have shown that they are able to overcome offensive shortcomings and play winning football. The Patriots, meanwhile, have not proven anything this season other than that their offense is not on a level to compete on a week-to-week basis. It is therefore no surprise that the Patriots are entering the contest as 6-point underdogs, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Despite both teams starting backups at the quarterback position, the Steelers have proven themselves the better overall team. With that all said, let’s take a closer look at New England’s Week 14 opponent: its players, coaches, key stats, injuries, and more. Steelers key stats Statistically speaking, the Steelers are an enigma. They are 7-5 and the current No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff picture despite fielding one of the least potent offenses in football and ranking just 22nd in the NFL — and 11th in their conference — with a negative 37 point differential. However, a closer look at their key numbers shows how that is possible: they are playing very good football, and are winning the turnover battle on a weekly basis.

• Record: 7-5 (2nd AFC North)
• Offense: 16.0 points/game (28th), 294.9 yards/game (26th), -0.076 EPA/play (24th)
• Defense: 19.1 points/game (6th), 348.3 yards/game (21st), -0.057 EPA/play (9th)
• Scoring differential: -37 (22nd)
• Turnover differential: +10 (2nd)

The Steelers’ turnover differential is ranked second in the league, with both the offense and the defense doing its part: the team’s offense is tied for first in the NFL with only 10 lost fumbles or interceptions, whereas the defense ranks fifth with 20 takeaways. Pittsburgh won the turnover battle in six of its seven wins this season. For a team like New England, which is ranked just 31st in that category (-9), taking care of the football and taking it away will be key. Steelers 53-man roster (Note: Roster up-to-date as of Wednesday, 7 a.m. ET; *indicates projected starter) Quarterback (3): Kenny Pickett (8), Mitchell Trubisky* (10), Mason Rudolph (2) Running back (4): Najee Harris* (22), Jaylen Warren (30), Godwin Igwebuike (48), Anthony McFarland Jr. (26) Wide receiver (5): George Pickens* (14), Allen Robinson II* (11), Diontae Johnson* (18), Calvin Austin III (19), Miles Boykin (13) Tight end (4): Pat Freiermuth* (88), Darnell Washington (80), Connor Heyward (83 | FB), Rodney Williams (87) Offensive tackle (4): Dan Moore* (65 | LT), Broderick Jones* (77 | RT), Chukwuma Okorafor (76), Dylan Cook (60) Interior offensive line (5): Isaac Seumalo* (73 | LG), Mason Cole* (61 | C), James Daniels* (78 | RG), Nate Herbig (71), Spencer Anderson (74) Interior defensive line (7): Cameron Heyward* (97), Larry Ogunjobi* (99), Keeanu Benton* (95), Montravius Adams (57), Armon Watts (94), DeMarvin Leal (98), Isaiahh Loudermilk (92) Defensive edge (4): T.J. Watt* (90), Alex Highsmith* (56), Markus Golen (44), Nate Herbig (51) Off-the-ball linebacker (4): Mykal Walker* (38), Elandon Roberts (50), Mark Robinson (93), Blake Martinez (40) Cornerback (5): Patrick Peterson* (20), Joey Porter Jr.* (24), Levi Wallace* (29), Chandon Sullivan (34), James Pierre (42), Darius Rush (21) Safety (5): Minkah Fitzpatrick* (39), Damontae Kazee* (23), Trenton Thompson (17), Miles Killebrew (28) Specialists (3): Chris Boswell (9 | K), Pressley Harvin III (6 | P), Christian Kuntz (46 | LS) The biggest news from a roster perspective heading into this week is the absence of starting quarterback Kenny Pickett. While the Steelers are hopeful he will return later in the season after suffering an ankle injury on Sunday, the starting role will go to No. 2 Mitchell Trubisky on Thursday night. Trubisky will have a talented skill position group around him to work with, led by standout receiver George Pickens and hyper-versatile running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. While Pickens and Harris are the big names out of that group, Warren has actually been the most productive of the bunch: his 844 scrimmage yards are tops on the team. Defensively, the Steelers are fielding a talented group whose leading tackler with 80 stops is former Patriot Elandon Roberts. Roberts is a steady No. 2 at linebacker alongside starter Mykal Walker, but the unit’s most notable players are others — namely edge defenders T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Watt and Highsmith are ranked first and second on the team with 14 and 6 sacks, respectively, and have also combined to intercept two passes, score two touchdowns, force five fumbles and recover three of them. They are a problem for a team like the Patriots, whose offensive line has had issues in pass protection for much of the year. Steelers reserves Practice squad (16): CB Luq Barcoo (35), S Henry Black (5), LB Tariq Carpenter (49), FB Jack Colletto (45), OT Kellen Diesch (72), DT Breiden Fehoko (96), WR Dez Fitzpatrick (82), LB Myles Jack (16), LB Kyron Johnson (53), DT Jonathan Marshall (91), OL Ryan McCollum (62), QB Trace McSorley (3), WR Denzel Mims (15), RB Qadree Ollison (41), S Eric Rowe (25), WR Duece Watts ( Injured reserve (8): LB Kwon Alexander, RB Alfonzo Graham, LB Cole Holcomb, S Keanu Neal, S Elijah Riley, LB Chapelle Russell, CB Cory Trice Jr., DT Renell Wren The Steelers have a few notable names on their practice squad, including former Patriots Trace McSorley and Eric Rowe. In addition, the developmental roster also is home to former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack and former New York Jets second-round wideout Denzel Mims. On injured reserve, meanwhile, the team also has a few notable players. While the overall number of players on IR is relatively small, the group includes starting linebacker Cole Holcomb, previous No. 3 safety Keanu Neal, and promising rookie cornerback Cory Trice. Steelers coaching staff Head coach: Mike Tomlin Coordinators: Eddie Faulkner (Interim OC/RB), Teryl Austin (DC), Danny Smith (ST) Offensive assistants: Mike Sullivan (QB), David Corley (QB assistant), Frisman Jackson (WR), Alfredo Roberts (TE), Pat Meyer (OL), Isaac Williams (OL assistant), Glenn Thomas (Assistant) Defensive assistants: Karl Dunbar (DL), Denzel Martin (OLB), Aaron Curry (ILB), Grady Brown (DB), Gerald Alexander (DB assistant), Jason Brooks (Quality control) Special teams assistants: Matt Tomsho (Quality control) The Steelers’ coaching staff saw some change in its 17th year under Mike Tomlin. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada was fired in November and replaced by running backs coach Eddie Faulkner as the interim. The Steelers averaged 13 points in Faulkner’s two games at the helm so far — scoring 16 and 10 against Cincinnati and Arizona, respectively — compared to 16.6 under Canada.

Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/12/6/23 ... s-injuries