Keys to victory for Week 10
The Pittsburgh Steelers look to hold onto the lead in the AFC North with a win on Sunday against the Washington Commanders. This will be Pittsburgh’s toughest test to date, so here is how they’ll get the job done on the road in Week 10.
Big Najee Harris game
Harris is in the midst of the best stretch of games in his career. He’s rushed for over 100 yards in three straight games, and it has ignited a balanced attack for the Steelers’ offense. Washington enters Week 10 ranking 30th in the NFL in defensive EPA per rush and are allowing the fourth-most rushing yards per game. A healthy dose of Harris and Jaylen Warren, who is due for an explosive game, will give the Steelers an edge offensively that allows them to control the tempo of the game.
Joey Porter Jr. vs. Terry McLaurin
McLaurin is one of the game’s top receivers, and finally has a quarterback in Jayden Daniels that is capable of connecting with him for big plays on a consistent basis. The Pro Bowl receiver has 42 catches for 598 yards and six touchdowns this season and is on his way to a potential All-Pro output. However, the next leading wide receiver on the team is Noah Brown with just 22 catches. Keeping McLaurin on an island and making him as ineffective as possible will severely hamper the passing game of the Commanders and force them to go to their utility players to make plays, which have been very few and far between this season.
Bring pressure to Jayden Daniels
Now, this comes with a built-in caveat that Daniels has the highest yards per attempt in the NFL when pressured, per SIS. This means that he’s not afraid to chuck it when the heat gets close, and he has yet to throw an interception when facing pressure. However, he is also 34th in on-target percentage when under pressure and has yet to face a defense like the Steelers. Send pressure, do it often, and force the rookie into making mistakes that your defense, and ultimately your offense, can capitalize on.