Raiders Crossover: Week 3 Q/A with Steelers writer Rob Gregson
The Las Vegas Raiders are finally playing at home in the 2023 season, where they are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are opening the first game in Allegiant Stadium, where this year's Super Bowl will be played.What better way to showcase the beautiful stadium than on Primetime, Sunday Night Football, in a matchup of past […]
The Las Vegas Raiders are finally playing at home in the 2023 season, where they are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are opening the first game in Allegiant Stadium, where this year's Super Bowl will be played.
What better way to showcase the beautiful stadium than on Primetime, Sunday Night Football, in a matchup of past rivals.
Both teams have started slow, but there are some questions with the Steelers that you may not know. So, we are going "behind enemy lines," as they say. So in an effort to get a beat on all things Steelers, I spoke with Rob Gregson of A to Z Sports Pittsburgh:
What's up with Kenny Pickett?
Kenny Pickett hasn’t looked quite like the guy we saw at the end of last season and even in the preseason, is that because of the defenses the team has played, or does it have anything to do with scheme, coaching or play? – Churchill
I hate to give the cliche answer that it’s a combination of everything, but I truly believe that. Cleveland’s defense will be one the best in the league this year, and we have precedent when it comes to San Francisco. The biggest problem with the offense continues to be the ineptitude of OC Matt Canada, but it doesn’t absolve Kenny Pickett of any blame. His ball location and decision-making have been anything but consistent, mimicking his early season struggles from his rookie campaign. – Gregson
Can the Steelers defense carry this team?
The defense has started pretty great, scoring a few TD's already this season. They seem to be carrying the workload of the team. Is that sustainable, or will the offense balance things out?
Independent of the offense's success or failures, the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers were always going to go as far as their defense takes them. Having said that, you saw in Week 1 what happens when you go up against an offensive juggernaut. So to answer the question, in the modern NFL, the Steelers approach is not sustainable, with an emphasis on the offense to get better, and fast.
Will RB Najee Harris be back to rookie form?
Najee Harris hasn't looked quite like the guy we saw in his rookie year. Why is that?
I thought 2023 would be a big year for Najee. Many don't realize that he played the first half of 2022 with a broken bone in his foot, yet he still rushed for 1,000 yards. Unfortunately, Harris and the offensive line are both underperforming through two games. The line struggles to create any vertical displacement, and then when they do, Najee lacks the vision and burst to allocate yardage. Hopefully, things change with 15 games left, but right now, it's not looking great.
What will George Pickens role start to look like
Do you think Pickens will start to get more involved like he did last week with the injury of Johnson? And is that something we could see as soon as this week?
The Steelers have no choice but to manufacture touches for Pickens in my opinion. With the team relegated to only one real vertical threat, an onus is placed on his usage over the next three weeks.
Watt for early DPOY?
TJ Watt is already making a case for DPOY. With the pieces around him, how disruptive do you think he can be with a shaky Raiders offense?
Watt is on pace to continue crushing records, including the season sack total that he came within half a sack of breaking in 2021. Now back to full health and in the prime of his career at 28 years old, Watt will continue to give tackles nightmares, with primetime on Sunday being no different.
Raiders announce halftime entertainment for SNF vs. Steelers
Should be a fun one.
Featured Image Via Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK
