Week 1 NFL Analysis - Steelers Defense vs. Titans Offense

Controlling Chris Johnson is Key for PIT

Well, its finally here.  NFL football games that actually matter.  Games that count towards the postseason, and for Steelers fans...towards that ever so distant Super Bowl #7.  With Tomlin's news conference complete, its time to start gearing up for the first "Steelers Sunday" of this 2013-2014 NFL season.  Today, we examine the Steelers Defense vs the Titans Offense in our first weekly installment of our NFL Analysis.  Here goes nothing...

- Contain CJ2K - Chris Johnson is still dangerous.  I don't care what anyone says.  The man can flat out fly if given the time and space.  He torched the Steelers for over a 100yds last year in the upset loss on Thursday Night Football, and this year they added Shonne Greene to compliment the speedy Chris Johnson.  Needless to say, the Titans are a team that is going to want to pound the football and develop a consistent running game to alleviate pressure of young QB Jake Locker.  Look for the Titans to try and establish the run early and often, and it will be up to the Steelers to stop them from accomplishing that feat.

- Get to Locker Early and Often - I placed this after stopping the running game on purpose.  For the entire Dick Lebeau era, the defense has thrived on one singular mission that equates to success.  Stop the run, make the team one dimensional, and get after the QB.  Last year, the Steelers boasted the #1 Defense that stopped the run, made teams one dimensional, but did NOT get to the QB at a rate Steeler fans are used to seeing.  Jake Locker is still young, and due to injuries, doesn't have a ton of experience.  Its QBs like this that the Steelers typically thrive on.  Catching them making a mistake in a crucial point of the game that can completely swing the momentum of the contest.  Locker is that guy, and getting hits on him will be crucial in the turnover game.  Get him thinking, get him keyed on Troy Polamalu, get him having "happy feet" in the pocket and the Steelers have him right where they want him.


- Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers - If Troy is as healthy as everyone (including himself) says that he is, then there is NO DOUBT in my mind that the Steelers will cause more turnovers this year than in the past.  I know that Troy plays the line of scrimmage better than any other safety to possibly ever play the game.  However, I want to see the Troy Polamlu that was Defensive Player of the Year and had 8 INTs himself that season.  The Troy with the amazing one handed INT against the Titans after winning Super Bowl 43.  The Troy that picked off a deflected Philip Rivers pass in the snow at Heinz Field.  That is the Troy that will help this defense get to that "next level".  On top of Troy being healthy, its time the DBs start taking advantage of their opportunities.  Cortez Allen is a ball hawk compared to Keenan Lewis, and Jarvis Jones is a football magnet.  Both of these players should be able to help improve the Steelers Defense in terms of turnover production.


- Don't Let Britt & Company Get Deep -  Last year, Ike Taylor might have had his worst game of his NFL career against the Tennessee Titans.  Kenny Britt got deep early and often, and he out muscled the veteran CB to the tune of 4 rec for 62yds and a TD.  Thats a 15.5 yds/reception mark that is unacceptable.  It wasn't just Britt that did the damage, the Titans went hurry up in the second half, and the Steelers looked every bit of  "old and slow" as some annoying out of shape NFL Analyst once said.  The Steelers can't allow the WRs of the Titans to get behind them and allow the strong armed Locker to burn them down field.  Limit the deep threat...

- New Look, New Style - The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team that lost alot of the "usual suspects" that we are accustomed to seeing on the defensive side of the football.  James Harrison - Gone.  Casey Hampton - Gone.  Keenan Lewis - Gone.  Ryan Mundy - Gone.  Will Allen - Gone.  Thats alot of experience that is now elsewhere (or unemployed).  Nonetheless, the Steelers feel they still have a defense to be reckoned with.  Look for a much more athletic and fast defensive line to cause more havoc in the backfield, but could possibly surrender more rushing yards than normal.  Look for a secondary that might actually take advantage of opportunities and cause takeaways and could possibly generate points for the team.  It might look different, but as long as the finished product doesn't change, then its fine by me.


Advantage - Pittsburgh Steelers - In this matchup I like the Steelers' run defense vs. the Titans running game, and I like the Steelers going against an inexperienced QB like Jake Locker. 

- Be on the lookout...Tomorrow I will analyze the Steelers Offense vs. the Titans Defense