The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10 of the 2019 regular season. Entering the game with a 4-4 record, the Steelers prepare to host the Rams on Sunday at Heinz Field.
Since this is an unfamiliar matchup for the Steelers, playing an NFC West team, many fans want to know more about this matchup. Sure, there are the big name players in the matchup, but what about all those other players who can make a difference?
So, I wanted to get a lowdown on what the Rams might have in store for the Steelers by talking with Turf Show Times, SB Nation’s Rams website, editor Joe McAtee to pick his brain on the upcoming matchup.
In this first of many installments, I asked Joe what he thinks the Rams will do when they have the ball and trying to move the ball on the Steelers’ defense. Check out his response:
I’m not sure the last time I had less certainty what the Rams’ offense was going to do with the ball. We’re talking more than a decade since they were this volatile with the talent to produce. On one hand, you’ve got last year’s explosive passing offense with Head Coach Sean McVay overseeing QB Jared Goff working with a very talented stable of passing targets in WR Cooper Kupp, WR Robert Woods, WR Brandin Cooks (though not this week), TE Tyler Higbee and TE Gerald Everett. You’ve also got RB Todd Gurley, though things done changed since late last year. That’s its own saga. On the other hand...you’ve got this season in which the Rams were just shut down offensively in the second half by the Cincinnati Bengals. In which the Rams had just 27 passing yards with 10 minutes left in the game against the San Francisco 49ers back in Week 6. In which the Rams’ offense is 10th in yards per game in the NFL but still feels like it hasn’t played its best football yet.
So what will they do? Man, I got no clue. Not sure the Rams do either, TBH.
Running a similar feature on his site, I responded to the same question, but how the Steelers’ defense will try and stop the Rams’ offense. Here is my response:
When the Rams have the football, the Steelers defense will focus on doing one thing and one thing only...getting after Jared Goff. The Rams’ high powered offense is still going to want to pass the ball, and their pass protection has been sketchy at times this season. Todd Gurley remains a threat to break the game open, but if the Steelers can harass Goff, the general consensus is he will try to force the ball into some precarious situations. These situations is where the Pittsburgh defense has thrive this year, as they are currently second in the NFL in takeaways. Stopping Gurley is important, but getting after Goff is paramount for this defense to set the tone early in the game.
Will the Steelers be able to get to Jared Goff early and often in this contest? Or will the Rams’ tremendous east coast record under Sean McVay continue at Heinz Field?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to keep tabs on BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Rams in Week 10.