The Tennessee Titans come to Heinz Field this weekend as a 9-4 team full of holes.
Tennessee will be short on weapons with their leading rusher and receiver (RB Derrick Henry, WR AJ Brown) both on IR. Henry is 4th in the NFL in rushing attempts, yards and TD’s, despite not playing since Week 8. He’s still working back from that injury and won’t be a factor in this game, which is fantastic news for a Steelers defense that has opposing RB’s licking their chops.
Even without a transcendent back like Henry, the Titans remain committed to their rushing identity. Last weekend in a 36-13 loss to the Patriots, Titans RB’s D’onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard both eclipsed 100 rushing yards on 31 combined attempts while QB Ryan Tannehill threw only 21 passes.
To be fair, in that game they were missing seven-time Pro-Bowl WR Julio Jones, acquired via trade from the Falcons this summer. His production has also been hampered by availability this year, but we all know what that guy’s capable of if you can get him the ball.
Therein lies the struggle. Tannehill has 13 INT’s on the season which is tied with Lamar Jackson for third-most and one behind the league lead. He’s also the third-most sacked QB in the NFL, one behind Jackson and three back of Joe Burrow (Ben is 7th). This is a guy you want to turn up the heat on.
That could mean big days for the Steelers’ primary pass rushers: OLB’s TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. Both were questionable for this week after leaving last Thursday’s game against the Vikings with lower body injuries, but both practiced in full on Thursday and reportedly plan to play this week.
S Kevin Byard – PFF’s #1-graded safety – has stacked five INT’s (3rd) and 16 PD’s (6th) on the season. A splashy defender, he’s added a pick-six and a scoop-and-score in his sixth year in Tennessee to a resume that already boasted an eight-INT season (2017). He was the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Month for November, and has a knack for being where the ball ends up.
OLB Harold Landry III is having a heck of a contract year, recording 11.0 sacks (8th), 13 TFL’s and 20 QBH’s, all career-highs. His pre-draft athleticism measurables topped the charts for EDGE rushers. He can get around you in a hurry and once he makes you over-commit his inside counters are lethal. Rookie LT Dan Moore Jr has a full plate this week.
Some familiar faces join Landry in the OLB room: Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi. Dupree was activated this week to the Designated to Return list; if he plays Sunday he’ll be on a pitch count. Adeniyi is the only other healthy EDGE rusher on their roster (Derick Roberson is questionable with an illness) so depth could be an issue.
Steely Cam 