It has been a strange start to the NFL season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite allowing the third-most yards per game and gaining the third-fewest yards per contest in the NFL, the Steelers enter Week 7 with a 3-2 record, just half a game out of the lead in the AFC North. The Steelers have played an ugly yet effective brand of football, forcing their opponents to make mistakes while grinding our narrow victories.
The Steelers' Week 7 opponent is the Los Angeles Rams — a winnable road game in a SoFi Stadium that will certainly be filled with Terrible Towels. A Pittsburgh win would be a huge momentum builder for the team as it competes in a tight divisional race. Here are three bold Steelers predictions for the Week 7 contest against the Rams.
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George Pickens will lead the Steelers in catches despite increased competition
With the bye week to rest up, the Steelers return Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiermuth from injury this weekend. With both players out in Week 5, George Pickens was the clear number-one target, catching six balls for 130 yards — including the game-winning touchdown. Even while Freiermuth was still healthy, Pickens was leading the team in targets, averaging 8.3 targets per contest during that four-game stretch.
Last season, Pickens was the occasional down the field threat while Johnson and Freiermuth garnered the majority of the looks in this offense on underneath throws. This year, Pickens' average depth of target is down a full two yards — demonstrating his ability to be more of an all-around receiver. Diontae Johnson will need at least a game or two to get back in the flow of the offense, while Pat Freiermuth did not have more than three targets in a game when he was healthy. All signs point to another big game for George Pickens this week.
The Steelers pick off Rams QB Matthew Stafford multiple times
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is now two seasons removed from his Super Bowl triumph and a 41-touchdown season. Many will forget that Stafford actually led the league with 17 interceptions this year, and he has been just as turnover-prone since. In his last 15 games, Stafford has 16 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. Plus, the veteran QB has two games with multiple INTs this year.
Meanwhile, the Steelers defense is second in the NFL with 2.2 turnovers forced per game. The secondary has not been particularly prolific at forcing interceptions (five INTs in five games), but the three interceptions Pittsburgh earned against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3 show that it can be done. With starting running back Kyren Williams out, the Rams will be looking to the air more than usual against the Steelers this Sunday — offering ample opportunity for a play-making Pittsburgh defense to pick off a couple of passes.
Jaylen Warren has his first breakout game
Despite what the depth chart says, this is increasingly becoming a backfield by committee in Pittsburgh. Over their last two contests, Jaylen Warren has 26 touches for 134 yards while Najee Harris has 30 touches for 143 yards. This comes as Warren has played 45% of the Steelers' offensive snaps this year to Harris' 53%. Warren is clearly the most explosive of the two backs and he brings an energy to this offense that is not present when Harris is on the field.
Perhaps the struggling offensive line can open up more holes after the bye week, but as long as the Pittsburgh offense is getting beaten in the trenches, then Jaylen Warren is the more trusted option to make something happen with the ball in his hands. Don't expect 100 yards on the ground from Warren, but 100 total yards (60 rushing, 40 receiving) is not out of the question.
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