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The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a surprisingly strong start to the 2024 NFL season, defying the pundits and getting out to a 2-0 start. Justin Fields has stepped up in light of Russell Wilson’s injury and played the game manager role to perfection while showing flashes of his potential.
George Pickens has turned a corner and become one of the top receivers in football, and the team's reputed defense is playing as advertised. The Steelers will host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM ET at Acrisure Stadium. Keep reading for some bold predictions as the Steelers look to improve to 3-0 on the season.
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Justin Fields has more than 350 all-purpose yards
The Steelers acquired Justin Fields this offseason in what ended up being a complete overturning of their quarterback room. The team shipped out Kenny Pickett and brought in veteran Russell Wilson along with Fields. The expectation was that Wilson would be the starter and Fields would sit for a year. However, an injury to Wilson opened the door for Fields to start, and he’s taken that opportunity and run with it. The counting stats haven’t quite been there throughout the first two weeks of the season, but his performance has been excellent and I expect the numbers to reflect it this week.
Fields is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback. He might not be the most polished passer yet, but he has elite throwing ability and is always a threat to create a big play. Fields really shines with his legs, though. In the ground game, he might be the best running quarterback in the league not named Lamar Jackson. Fields has elite speed, and he has great size for a quarterback. He rarely slides, and he’s not afraid to mix it up and deliver punishment to defenders who try to tackle him.
It wouldn’t be shocking to see him have a couple of big rushing plays that go for 30 or 40 yards each, along with several more routine plays mixed in that go for 5 to 15 yards per pop. Fields could easily reach 100 yards on the ground, and if he has one really big play, he could even get close to 150.
A couple of big plays through the air to George Pickens should put Fields north of 200 passing yards, which could bring him close to 350 all-purpose yards for the game.
George Pickens records more than 125 receiving yards and 2+ touchdowns
George Pickens has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in football, and he should continue to take his game to new levels as the season goes on. Fields has made a concerted effort to get the ball to Pickens in the early going of the season, and the returns have been outstanding.
Pickens is a physical specimen of a wide receiver, who can beat any defender at the catch point. He’s become much more than just that this year, though. He’s emerged as an elite route runner who can beat defenders with intelligence and separation as opposed to just pure physicality.
Look for the Fields-Pickens connection to continue flourishing this week, and for Pickens to add another hundred or more receiving yards and multiple touchdowns to his season totals.
The team’s defense collectively records 2+ interceptions and 5+ sacks
Justin Herbert’s status is up in the air due to an ankle injury he suffered, and it appears to be a game-time decision if he will play or not. If Herbert is able to go, his mobility will be compromised, which could allow the Steelers’ pass rush to tee off on him. He'll also likely have some trouble generating lower body strength to put velocity on the ball. This could lead to some wobbly ducks and other less than stellar passes that could give Pittsburgh’s secondary a chance to make an impact and leave their mark on the game.
If Herbert is unable to suit up, it is unclear which backup quarterback will be penciled into the starting lineup. Whoever gets the nod will likely face a rude welcome, courtesy of the Steelers’ elite defense.
Expect TJ Watt, Joey Porter Jr., Cam Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick and company to leave their mark on this game, recording multiple sacks to keep the pressure on whoever is under center for the Chargers. The Steelers will also look to jump at opportunities to take the ball away when Los Angeles elects to throw down the field.
The Steelers will commit five or fewer total penalties
One thing that the Steelers really need to work on is limiting their mistakes.
Justin Fields has already had several explosive plays that were erased due to penalties. Last week, a holding call erased what might just be Fields’ best pass of his young career. There is no doubt that head coach Mike Tomlin will make it a point of emphasis to clean up the team’s performance this week. If the Steelers can keep their penalties to a minimum, it will go a long way towards sustaining drives and avoiding giving the Chargers extra chances.
The Steelers have a lot of young players on their roster, and they will need to put emphasis on clean play. If Coach Tomlin is able to keep his young guys playing under control, however, it will be beneficial for the whole team.
