The 5: Steelers to watch as they host the Patriots
Every week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ games, Steel City Underground will analyze the depth chart, injury reports, and key matchups against their upcoming opponent in order to point out “The 5” – Steelers players to watch.
Week Two of the 2022-23 NFL regular season finds the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) hosting the New England Patriots (0-1) at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers look to build off of their dominance of the Cincinnati Bengals against a Patriots team that struggled against the Miami Dolphins in Week One. We look at five Steelers players to watch in Pittsburgh’s home opener.
Malik Reed
With 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt landing on the injured/reserved list due to a pectoral injury, it’s “next man up” time in Pittsburgh, unfortunately. The Watt news was disappointing but that doesn’t mean the season is lost by any means.
Reed, who registered 118 tackles (71 solo), 15.0 sacks, three forced fumbles (two recoveries), and the third-most sacks among undrafted players since the beginning of the 2020-21 season with 13.0, joined the Steelers from the Denver Broncos prior to the season kicking off.
Playing in a limited capacity (32 of 100 defensive snaps) in place of Watt in Week One, Reed took first-team snaps in practice this week and looks to start opposite Alex Highsmith.
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said the team has varsity-level players and mentioned Reed in his post-practice Q&A with the media. He echoed a bit of what head coach Mike Tomlin has said of Reed in the past when Tomlin said, “(Reed) brings a type of experience that’s helpful to us.”
Jamir Jones and recently added David Anenih are likely to see rotational time as the primary backups, but the number of in-game snaps is unknown at this time.
With Cameron Heyward hinting that the defense did some different things in practice as Reed and Jones are “coming along” makes Reed a player to keep an eye on on Sunday.
Jaylen Warren & Najee Harris
Although starting running back Najee Harris has insisted he’s ready to go on Sunday, he has been dealing with a foot injury that was exacerbated in Week One and required Warren to play more snaps in his place.
Warren has shown himself to be a capable rusher – when the offensive line is clicking.
The Steelers appear prepared to insert Warren, a back that’s not afraid of initial contact and keeps ploughing forward in the run game, as often as is necessary against the Patriots as they set up the pass-pro in Matt Canada’s offense.
That also means Harris will be a player to watch. The Steelers offense was pedestrian, at best, against the Bengals and their passing game, with Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback, would benefit greatly if the run game was able to keep the Patriots defense from pressing the box and forced to spread out to prevent throws that could get past them.
The offensive line
Mason Cole was injured in Week One, requiring J.C. Hassenauer to take over at center. Although Cole (ankle) had limited participation in practice leading up to the Week Two game, it looks – as of late Thursday – that Hassenauer may be called-on to handle the duties at center against the Patriots.
The Steelers’ offensive line kept Trubisky clean, for the most part, against the Bengals but had moments that could have resulted in disaster. On one play, Trubisky nearly gave up a safety due to poor blocking.
The line, as a whole, could use a jump start in providing better run blocking, as well. This Steelers offense needs more “umph”band consistency up front.
If the offensive line can become a cohesive unit on Sunday, the Steelers offense might just go off against a Patriots team that had issues stopping the Dolphins last weekend.
“We have to get this run game going. We’ve got to trust it. We’ve got to rely on it, and it falls on us,” Cole said late in the week. “When (the coaches) call a run, we’ve got to make it happen.”
George Pickens
In Week One, rookie camp and preseason phenom receiver George Pickens was targeted just three times. That was a disappointment for many fans but was likely more a result of an overall disappointing performance by the Steelers offense.
With Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool as veteran receivers, there could be a sense of greater trust from Trubisky in their ability to finish plays.
Not utilizing Pickens, despite his rookie status, seems foolish if the Steelers want to move the ball down the field, however.
Pickens is a tall, athletic target that has sure hands and would be a plus if Pittsburgh finds their mojo offensively and does a better job of making the most of drives; converting key downs in order to keep the defense from being on the field for the nearly three quarters they were forced to in Week One.
