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5 reasons the Steelers will beat the Jets in Week 6

The Steelers face a tough defensive opponent in the New York Jets. Beating this team could simply come down to their ability to do what they've been doing on the offensive side of the ball, while pressuring their rookie quarterback.

Scott Cunningham
The Rookie

The Steelers have teed off on rookie quarterbacks like the Jets' Geno Smith plenty of times in the past. If they ever needed a dam-busting, slump-breaker, he's it. While he didn't turn the ball over once in the Jets' 30-28 win over Atlanta in Week 5 - a performance that earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, the Steelers have five games of film on him, and that will serve to their advantage. It will be the Steelers' first takeaway, and first multi-takeaway game of the 2013 season.

Ben Roethlisberger

It's not as if he was far off that AFC Offensive Player of the Week bid the last time he played. He's thrown for over 375 passing yards in each of the Steelers' last two games, the only time in his career that's happened. He and wide receiver Antonio Brown are locked in to each other right now, and the presence of Heath Miller has opened up the passing game.

MetLife

The Steelers are 1-0 at MetLife Stadium, their first win coming last season over the Giants. A pro-Steelers crowd was on hand to watch them run all over the hapless Giants, and one will be there today to take on a better Jets team. But the Steelers and Jets are similar kinds of teams - physical, proud and hard-nosed. Expect the Steelers to be much sharper and better-prepared.

Health

The Jets are down Santonio Holmes and at least one cornerback - rookie Dee Milliner. Antonio Cromartie is expected to play, although he won't be 100 percent after hyperextending his knee in practice this week. The Steelers, as odd as this seems, are fully healthy, minus left guard Ramon Foster, who will play, but perhaps not at 100 percent. It's a good game for the Steelers' passing game.

Element of surprise

Steelers rookie Le'Veon Bell brings a new dimension of offense into this game. The Jets haven't seen a whole lot of Bell - just his 20 touches in Week 4 against the Vikings. He was fairly impressive in his debut, and while the Jets run defense is among the best in the league - and player-for-player, could be the best - Bell gives the Steelers another weapon to their surging offensive arsenal.

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