Depot Roundtable: Week 7 Steelers Vs. Jets Preview

It’s been quite an interesting week for the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of their Week 7 matchup against the New York Jets.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are eyeing a QB change from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson, while the Jets added star receiver Davante Adams via trade earlier in the week. The move reunited him with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, giving the Jets an explosive playmaker for Rodgers to work with.

What appeared to be a tough matchup against the Jets got much harder with the addition of Adams. Things got a bit more difficult for the Steelers offense, too, with the change to Wilson, who hasn’t played all season and will now be going up against a great defense behind an offensive line now starting its third-string center.

Quite the week, indeed.

Here at Steelers Depot, we’re doing something new this season. While Alex Kozora and Dave Bryan give their in-depth breakdown and preview of the game weekly on The Terrible Podcast, Joe Clark, Ross McCorkle, Scott Brown, Troy Montgomery, and I are doing a weekly roundtable, answering key questions ahead of each game.

Today, we examine the Steelers’ Week 7 Sunday Night Football matchup between the Jets and Steelers.

QUESTION 1: WHO IS THE STEELERS’ X FACTOR AGAINST THE JETS?

Josh Carney: CB Donte Jackson. With the Jets landing WR Davante Adams via trade earlier in the week, there will be a great emphasis on slowing him down with CB Joey Porter Jr. and some safety help from Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott. That could leave Jackson on an island against a great receiver in Garrett Wilson for the Jets.

Jackson has played some very good football so far this season and has allowed just 55% of targets against him to be completed with one of the lowest QBRs against through six weeks. It’s Aaron Rodgers on the other side of the field, though. Jackson will need to have a good game against the Jets and Wilson to help the Steelers’ defense stay above water in the secondary against a loaded wide receiver group for the Jets.

He’s been everything expected so far with the Steelers, but he needs to have his best game yet on Sunday night.

Joe Clark: RB Najee Harris. Harris is coming off his best game of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders, and with Russell Wilson at quarterback, the Steelers would benefit if they can get a boost from their run game yet again. Harris ran hard and was efficient against the Raiders, and if he can run with the same vigor against the Jets (and the line opens things up for him), Pittsburgh will be in a good spot.

The Jets have allowed 124.2 rushing yards per game, which is 17th in the league. It’s not a spectacular run defense by any means, and Harris should be able to get his. If the run game falters like it did in Week 4 and for parts of Week 5, though, it will be a long day on offense.

Ross McCorkle: RB Jaylen Warren. I think it’s about time he gets unleashed. He is obviously capable of much more than what he has done this season, and he should be ramped back up after that knee injury that held him out. Russell Wilson loved throwing to running backs last year. That could mean big things for Warren.

Scott Brown: CB Joey Porter Jr. Talk about an opportunity for Lil Peezy. Primetime against a Jets WR corps that is now absolutely loaded. Even if he doesn’t shadow Davante Adams, who torched the Steelers last year as a Raider, JPJ (and Donte Jackson) will be plenty busy.

Garrett Wilson, Diontae Johnson 2.0, would be WR1 in Pittsburgh. Allen Lazard as a No. 3 is Allen Robinson II 4.0. Porter has had a fine season. If he wants to be considered elite, he needs to be a reason why the Steelers beat the Jets.

 Troy Montgomery: OLB Alex Highsmith. Highsmith has been out of action since Week 3, and his absence has been felt, especially after Nick Herbig also went down. Highsmith may only have one sack so far this year, but his run defense has been sorely missed. Even if he’s not at 100%, his presence should help shore up the Steelers’ defense.

Jets running back Breece Hall is also an explosive player, and keeping him in check will be key for the Steelers. The Jets have a lot of firepower in the passing game, and Letting Hall get hot could spell disaster. Highsmith should help slow him down and knock quarterback Aaron Rodgers around, too.

QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE KEY MATCHUP TO WATCH IN STEELERS-JETS?

Josh Carney: CB Donte Jackson vs. WR Garrett Wilson. I’m going back to it again because it’s a huge matchup for me. With Davante Adams now in New York, that pushes Wilson to WR2 for the Jets, which might be a disappointment for Wilson a bit. That will only make him more dangerous, though, as he has advantageous matchups against CB2s and CB3s moving forward.

Donte Jackson is having a really good year and has been a key piece for the Steelers’ defense. He’s putting up production equivalent to CB1 marks around the league, allowing completions on 55% of targets, but has one of the top QBR numbers against on the season.

The Steelers are going to pay a great deal of attention to Adams, but Wilson is the one that could burn them on Sunday night. I’ll have my eyes locked on #5 wherever he’s lined up.

Joe Clark: EDGE Will McDonald IV vs. OT Broderick Jones. Jones has been bad this season—no two ways about it. McDonald has seven sacks this season but is really only a threat as a pass-rusher. Jones struggled last week against Maxx Crosby and has continually struggled, and he needs to pick things up against McDonald to keep the pocket clean for Russell Wilson. It’ll be a long night if Jones struggles and the Jets can get pressure.

Ross McCorkle: Jets CB Sauce Gardner vs. Steelers WR George Pickens. Pickens actually had a terrific game against Pat Surtain II, it just didn’t show up in the box score with penalties negating some big plays. He is more than capable of having a big day against Gardner, especially with Russell Wilson’s signature moon ball.

Scott Brown: Jets DE Will McDonald IV vs. Steelers RT Broderick Jones. A season ago, it would have been an advantage to the Steelers. Jones showed such promise as a rookie after a midseason promotion to the starting lineup. McDonald, picked one spot after Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, barely saw the field. Now McDonald is an emerging star while Jones’ surprising regression continues. He struggled again last Sunday against Maxx Crosby and hardly gets a bargain in McDonald. The Iowa State product has seven of the Jets’ 20 sacks.

 Troy Montgomery: WR George Pickens vs. CB Sauce Gardner. This one might cause fireworks on Sunday. Pickens is incredibly talented, but he’s been visibly frustrated too many times this year. Gardner isn’t going to make things any easier for him. He’s arguably the best corner in the league, being named a First-team All-Pro in his first two years in the league.

With Russell Wilson likely to start, Pickens should have opportunities for passes downfield. We’ll see if he can manage to beat Gardner at any point. If the Jets’ offense gets off to a fast start, the Steelers might need a big play from Pickens to spark their momentum. Against Gardner, that’s asking for a lot.

QUESTION 3: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST KEY TO THE GAME FOR THE STEELERS?

Josh Carney: Pressure and batter Aaron Rodgers. Yes, Rodgers and the Jets now have a loaded group of weapons to work with. But you can’t do anything big if the ball has to come out so quickly in the passing game. That plays to the strength of the Steelers’ defense.

Though Pittsburgh doesn’t blitz much, it can create great pressure with four-man rushes. Getting Alex Highsmith back this week will be a huge boost to helping the Steelers do just that. The Jets’ offensive line is a mess and has had issues protecting Rodgers, and now they’ll be going up against arguably the best defensive front in football.

Get pressure on him quickly and early, rough him up, and create some frustration. That could lead to some splash plays for the Steelers.

Joe Clark: Tackle in the secondary. The goal is for the Steelers to get pressure on Rodgers and have him get rid of the ball quickly and underneath. They can’t allow Garrett Wilson or Davante Adams to pick up yards after the catch, and keeping things underneath will be important for Pittsburgh. If they’re unable to get pressure, then Rodgers will be able to pick the defense apart, so the two go hand-in-hand, but tackling in the secondary will be crucial to keep their gains through the air short.

Ross McCorkle: Russell Wilson proving he is the guy. This could be a flash of brilliance from Mike Tomlin to give the Steelers the spark they need in the passing game or a little egg on his face. They have a great chance to win if they can force safeties out of the tackle box and operate a balanced offense.

Scott Brown: Keep the run game going, but it’s not as simple as the Steelers just feeding their RB1 the rock. The Jets’ defense, middling as it has been against the run, will be on high alert for Najee Harris after his best game as a Steeler. OC Arthur Smith has to strike a balance between featuring Harris without making it predictable when the Steelers run the ball. Nothing would help the Steelers more than if they win the time of possession and turnover battle – sound familiar? – against the Jets. That starts with Harris. Or is it Smith?

 Troy Montgomery: Don’t let Aaron Rodgers get Davante Adams going. Years ago, Rodgers and Adams were one of the best QB-WR duos in the NFL. Adams only just got to New York, but if he and Rodgers reestablish their connection early, it could be a long day for the Steelers. If they capture any momentum, they might not let it go.

The Steelers’ defense can’t even let them get started. Adams is in an entirely new system, so they must keep him uncomfortable. Even if he’s not at 100%, the Steelers need to treat him like he is. Those two are used to dominating and taking over games.

QUESTION 4: WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION FOR STEELERS VS. JETS?

Josh Carney: I really don’t feel all that great about this one, especially after the Adams trade for the Jets. While the offensive line for New York is poor, I have major concerns about the Steelers’ secondary holding up against Rodgers and his weapons.

If Pittsburgh is going to win this one, they have to run the ball efficiently early on and control the game right from the start. I just don’t have much faith in that, especially with a banged-up offensive line missing arguably its best piece and making a QB change.

Rodgers and the Jets have a great day through the air, and the new-look Jets win this one. Jets 24, Steelers 20

Joe Clark: I have a bad feeling about this one, but I think the Steelers will find a way to pull it out in the end. The home environment helps, and I think the Steelers will get just enough pressure to make things difficult for Rodgers while moving the ball against a Jets defense that hasn’t been as good as expected this season. Steelers 20, Jets 17

Ross McCorkle: I have a funny feeling that this DangerRuss thing works out right away for the offense, especially if they can creatively mix in Justin Fields. The defense is back to full strength with Alex Highsmith back in the mix. Steelers 28, Jets 18

Scott Brown: I don’t like this for the Steelers. Not. One. Bit. The 2-4 Jets are desperate and have reunited the best couple since Joni and Chachi—or Joey and Pacey for youngsters like Alex Highsmith. The Steelers haven’t faced a passing attack with this much potential juice. Danny Dimes will be a welcome sight at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8. Jets 24, Steelers 20.

Troy Montgomery: There’s just a lot going against the Steelers in this one. The Jets are the poster child for dysfunction in the NFL, but all the nonsense with waiting to name a starting quarterback hasn’t helped the Steelers at all. There’s no telling what Russell Wilson is going to look like. It’s not like the beginning of the season, where he just got work in the preseason. He’s probably going to be rusty.

All that being said, the Steelers’ defense is still elite. Aaron Rodgers isn’t the same player he once was, and the Jets’ defense has weaknesses. The Jets have had issues with their kicker, too, so in a close game, that could matter. Call me a sucker, but I’m riding with the home team. Steelers 21, Jets 20.