Jaylon Jones
This will be Jones’ first game back from his IR stint dealing with a hamstring injury. He joins a secondary that is desperate at cornerback, so even average play would be a huge upgrade over what we currently have. There could be some rust, and more than him playing lights out I just hope he can stay healthy and play a decent amount of snaps. I’m also curious how his hamstring will hold up trying to cover a receiver as fast and physical as D.K. Metcalf.
Tyler Warren
I don’t think there is much left to say about Tyler Warren and the historic rookie season he has been on, with the Colts’ offensive success relying a lot on him. He has an enticing matchup on his hands going up against a Steelers’ front seven that has struggled covering tight ends all season long. Tucker Kraft: 7/143/2 ; Noah Fant: 4/44/1 ; Hunter Henry: 8/90/2 ; and Harold Fannin going for 7/85/0. Look out for a potential breakout game for Warren propelling him in the OROTY award.
Michael Pittman Jr.
Steelers’ cornerback Jalen Ramsey has been having an uncharacteristic mediocre season, but he is still among the most talented cornerbacks in the NFL, and a tough nut to crack. MPJ, on the other hand, has been quietly having a Pro Bowl caliber season as the #1 receiver of such a great offense, ranking 2nd in receiving touchdowns in the NFL, leading the team in targets, and 2nd in receiving yards behind Tyler Warren. This will be Pittman’s toughest test by far this season, and potentially a deciding factor in the game.
Zaire Franklin / Germaine Pratt
The Steelers like to use both of their tight ends and their running back Jaylen Warren in the passing game, with a 51.3% target share for non-wide receivers, which will make it tough for a Colts’ linebacker group that has struggled in that area so far this season. Taking away the checkdowns and preventing easy yards after catch will be the most important task for Zaire and Germaine, hopefully forcing Aaron Rodgers into uncomfortable situations.
Michael Badgley
Kicking in Pittsburgh is always a complicated task, and Colts’ kickers have struggled in the past in that venue. Badgley was brought in to replace Shrader and has been solid through two games, missing a single extra point, but he has not faced many high leverage kicks, and has not kicked in such a hostile place yet. With what looks like a close game coming up, pressure will be high for the Money Badger, so we’ll see how he responds.
Mason McCormick, guard (Steelers)
The Steelers offensive line has been a bit suspect this season, with the weak link so far being clearly Mason McCormick. Quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers suffer more the pressure from the inside, because it comes in quicker and is harder to evade, so watch out for McCormick and how Anarumo deploys all the pass-rushing assets he has at disposal to try and take advantage of him.
Cameron Heyward, defensive tackle (Steelers)
Even nearing 37-years of age, Cameron Heyward is still among the most productive interior defenders in the NFL, both against the run and the pass. He ranks 5th in pass-rush win rate, and 5th in stops against the run. The Colts’ interior offensive line has been among the best in the NFL this season, so it will be fun matchup on the inside.
Nick Herbig, edge (Steelers)
Don’t look now, but basing it entirely on the numbers, the Steelers have a more productive edge rusher on their roster than T.J. Watt. Herbig has 26 total pressures on 199 pass-rushing snaps, and an 18.1% win rate which ranks 14th in the NFL for players with over 100 snaps played. Raimann and Smith have been solid so far in pass-protection, but nothing spectacular. The Cardinals did an excellent job pressuring Jones and it showed, so executing a gameplan based on containing both Herbig and Watt will be key.
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