The Pittsburgh Steelers got the win that they had to have this past Sunday, to avoid falling into a big early hole in the AFC North division. The Steelers got a narrow 16-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles to pull to .500 on the season. It’s a short week though, as Pittsburgh will go on the road to match up with the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night in Week 6.
The Titans have just one win on the season, and have struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball, in particular the run game. That is a bit surprising seeing as how they have Chris Johnson. But Johnson simply isn’t that 2,000-yard back he was a couple of seasons ago. Whether it’s a lack of effort, or a defensive game plan to stop him, Johnson simply isn’t getting it done. Tennessee ranks 3oth in the NFL in rushing.
It sure is a coincidence that Johnson got his big contract after that fantastic season, and has dropped off. That’s definitely a trend among the NFL.
Regardless, the Titans could find themselves in world of trouble if they can’t get anything going offensively, because their defense is just as bad. They rank 25th in passing yards allowed, and 28th in rushing yards allowed in the league.
Put that all together and it’s a perfect recipe for their 1-4 record.
On the other side of the ball for the Steelers, defensively they continue to be one of the better units in the league, especially against the run. Pittsburgh ranks 3rd in the NFL against the run, and have to be excited at the opportunity to shut down Johnson even more.
On offense for the Steelers, getting running back Rashard Mendenhall bac should improve the inept running attack that they have had thus far, ranking 26th in the league in rushing at just over 82 yards per game. But quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been pretty good.
On paper, it simply looks like the Titans will have a tough time finding the endzone, and driving the ball down the field being so one dimensional. And even the passing game isn’t that good.
This is the start of an important stretch for Pittsburgh, with three of their next four games on the road.
The Steelers and Titans kickoff at 8:20pm ET, with coverage picked up by the NFL Network.