Preview: 2015 – Game 9 – Oakland Raiders

Just Win Baby.

Those are the famous words of longtime, former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, but those 3 words couldn’t apply more to the second half of the Pittsburgh Steelers season. Sitting at 4-4, the Steelers need wins; specifically wins against AFC opponents, of which they are 1-4 against. To stay in the thick of a wildcard playoff berth, Pittsburgh needs to beat AFC teams, and they could put themselves in a good spot with their next to home games.

First up is the Oakland Raiders, who have won 4 of the last 5 meetings against the Steelers. That was known when the ink on the schedule dried, but no one may have guessed that the Raiders also travel to Pittsburgh with a better record (4-3) a better passing offense (265.6 vs. 223.4) and a better rush defense (82.9 vs. 97.0.)

The Raiders are lead by second-year QB Derek Carr, who has been consistently good with a 1793 yds, 15 TD, 3 INT stat line. Carr’s main target has been rookie WR Amari Cooper, who has caught 38 balls for 565 yards and 3 TD. He is flanked on the opposite side by Michael Crabtree, the former 49er, who leads the team with 40 receptions and added 3 touchdowns of his own. RB Latavius Murray is formidable as well, with 534 yards and 3 TDs rushing.

However, it’s the TE position that has plagued both teams defensively, and the Raiders lack such a weapon on their offense, while the Steelers should lean heavily on Heath Miller, who had a monster day last week with 10 grabs for 105 yards. The Raiders have seemingly made every TE they’ve played against a superstar; Miller has been said superstar every game Ben Roethlisberger has been under center, and Sunday’s game should be no different.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that the Steelers have been their own worst enemy, committing 10 penalties last week, and 6 turnovers in their last 2 games: both losses. They will have to clean their act up against a top run defense without the AFC’s leading rusher Le’Veon Bell. In Bell’s place is DeAngelo Williams, who filled in during Bell’s 2 game suspension and lead all runners in Bell’s absence during that span.

But even if the run game is subpar on Sunday, it will be secondary to what is a leaky Raiders pass defense, which also has trouble getting to the QB, with 14 sacks on the season (21st in the league.) The Steelers will require Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant to be focused and return to form: one dropped pass could stall the offense as it has in weeks passed.

On the defensive side of the football, a strong Steelers unit gets stronger with the return of Stephon Tuitt and Will Allen, who both practiced in full on Friday. The question mark is DE Cam Heyward, 3rd on the team with 3 sacks, who may go missing for the birth of his first child: he is a game day decision.

The special teams unit will see a makeover Sunday as well, with KR Dri Archer released in favor of former nemesis Jacoby Jones, who was signed off waivers from the San Diego Chargers (by way of the Baltimore Ravens.) Jones will try to improve the Steelers starting field position from kickoffs (it is yet to be seen if he will return punts in place of Antonio Brown.)

Overall, this is a game the Steelers should be favored in, should their offense finally rise to expectations. The Raiders are traveling in for a 1pm East Coast contest, which has never been favorable to those West Coast teams. The key will be forcing Carr into making more mistakes than he has made recently, with no picks thrown in the last 2 games.

No matter who Sunday’s game shakes out, it’s this simple: the Steelers must win baby.


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