Depot Roundtable: Week 10 Steelers Vs. Commanders Preview

For the first time in 13 days, the Pittsburgh Steelers will hit the field for a football game on Sunday. Coming off of a much-needed bye week in Week 9, the Steelers hit the road for a Week 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders in a battle of two teams that are surprising contenders in the NFL this season.

Led by star rookie QB Jayden Daniels, the Commanders are the story of the NFL so far this season. They’ll be a significant test for the Steelers as they have one of the best offenses in the NFL and a defense that consistently makes plays under head coach Dan Quinn.

They’re well-coached, don’t make mistakes, and are physical. It sounds a lot like the Steelers, no?

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 10 matchup between the Commanders and Steelers.

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

Josh Carney: LB Patrick Queen. The Commanders have one of the best rushing attacks in football, and they have done well under first-year coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, scheming things up in the run game to take advantage of space and angles.

Queen needs to be up to the task as that run-and-hit linebacker the Steelers were hoping for when they signed him in free agency. He’s played better football lately but hasn’t had the true impact many were expecting so far. Sunday is a huge opportunity for Queen, coming out of the bye week with a chance to reset, prove himself to Steelers fans, and have a big game against a dynamic offense.

Joe Clark:  DL Cameron Heyward. The Commanders’ rushing attack has been really good this season, and QB Jayden Daniels has been one of the best in football as a rookie. If Heyward can stuff the run as he’s done all season, it’ll force Washington to throw, where Heyward can get some pressure up the middle and force Daniels to use his legs.

It’s something he’s been good at. Still, with the Steelers having T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith rushing off the edge against two banged-up tackles in Cornelius Lucas and Andrew Wylie, Heyward can force Daniels into Pittsburgh’s edge rushers for sacks.

The Steelers need Heyward to step up in this game, and he should be up to the task of continuing one of his most dominant seasons of his career.

Ross McCorkle: DB Cam Sutton. It is his first game back, and he could be the missing piece of the puzzle to take the secondary to the next level. Will he start freeing up Minkah Fitzpatrick to make more plays? Will he elevate the slot corner position and allow Beanie Bishop Jr. to only do what he does best while limiting his exposure elsewhere? The Commanders have only turned the ball over three times, but I am going to call my shot and predict an interception for Sutton in this game.

Scott Brown: DT Keeanu Benton. We are less than two weeks removed from a rookie named Tyrone Tracy carving up Pittsburgh’s proud run defense. Whether it was scheme or the New York Giants’ much-maligned line simply winning up front, that game better be an aberration. The second half of the schedule is simply too tough for the Steelers to be that leaky against the run.

Cameron Heyward is back to his usual self but needs more help from Benton. The second-year man has been something of a disappointment relative to expectations coming into the season. He is too talented not to be more of a factor – against both the run and the pass.

Troy Montgomery: S Minkah Fitzpatrick. It feels like everyone has been waiting for Fitzpatrick to make a splash play this year. He hasn’t been bad, not even close, but he hasn’t produced a turnover yet this year. That’s partly because teams know what kind of game-changer Fitzpatrick can be if they test him. However, this week, things could be a little easier against a rookie quarterback.

The Commanders have a fierce offense, and Jayden Daniels has been their engine. Getting a stop in this contest is going to be difficult. If Fitzpatrick can fool Daniels and produce a turnover, that stolen possession could make all this difference this week. However, with Daniels only throwing two interceptions this year, that could be easier said than done.

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

Josh Carney: CB Joey Porter Jr. vs. WR Terry McLaurin. This is a true 5-star matchup. We’ll see if the Steelers let Porter travel with McLaurin throughout the game, as it’s something that Porter wants to do. However, the play of Donte Jackson on the other side allowed the Steelers to get away with not having to make Porter travel with the opponent’s top target.

This week is different, though. McLaurin is a true No. 1 receiver and deep ball threat that has made magic happen with Daniels this season. Putting Porter on him to try and take McLaurin away would go a long way for the Steelers’ defense potentially putting the clamps on Washington’s explosive offense.

That theoretically would force names like Noah Brown, Dyami Brown, and Zach Ertz to try to beat the Steelers in the passing game. Those matchups should favor the Steelers. It’ll be interesting to see what the Steelers decide to do with Porter against McLaurin on Sunday.

Joe Clark:  OLB Alex Highsmith vs. OT Cornelius Lucas/Brandon Coleman. Lucas has missed practice the last two days with an injury, and if he’s out, then Highsmith will face a rookie in Brandon Coleman. Pittsburgh’s pass rush will need to get home against Jayden Daniels, who’s turned a lot of heads as a rookie and is almost as good of a runner as he is a passer. He can hurt the Steelers in many ways, and if Highsmith and the rest of Pittsburgh’s pass-rushers can get home and make life difficult for him, the game will tilt in Pittsburgh’s favor.

Ross McCorkle: OLB Alex Highsmith vs. OT Brandon Coleman. I was a big fan of Coleman coming out of TCU. I thought he was underdrafted, and too many people pegged him as a guard prospect. He is athletic, strong, long, and has great technique. He held up well in the few starts he has this season, but he will face his biggest test with a well-rested Alex Highsmith. Jayden Daniels doesn’t hold onto the ball as much as you’d think he does, but he isn’t getting rid of the ball as quickly as Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, or Joe Flacco from the Steelers games earlier in the season. Highsmith should be able to get at least one sack, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he had another multi-sack game.

Scott Brown: RB Najee Harris vs. LB Bobby Wagner. He does not hurdle defenders while backward, but Harris has looked like a different back since pairing his trademark power with nimble feet that call to mind (dare I say) a young Jerome Bettis.

Wagner may be the biggest obstacle between Harris and a fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game. Wagner (34) is ancient by NFL linebacker standards, but he is still a tackling machine. He will try to show Harris why he is a future first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Troy Montgomery: QB Russell Wilson vs. LB Bobby Wagner. This isn’t a direct matchup, but it will be a fascinating battle to watch. Wagner and Wilson were teammates on the Seattle Seahawks, helping the franchise capture a Super Bowl. Since they both left in 2021, they’ve played each other once, and Wagner dominated Wilson, including picking him off.

Both men are past their prime, but Wagner is still a dangerous force in the middle of the field. He got the best of Wilson when they first matched up against each other, helping the Los Angeles Rams crush the Denver Broncos in 2022. Having to keep pace with the high-octane Commanders offense, Wilson can’t make many mistakes. He’s got the chance to get a win back on Wagner’s unit.

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

Josh Carney: Run the football, win TOP. TOP will be huge in the outcome of the game.

The Steelers need to come out and establish the run early, control the ball and the clock, and limit the possessions for Daniels and the Commanders’ offense. Pittsburgh averages 31:43 time of possession per game on the year, and the Commanders are very similar at 31:12.

The Steelers need to have a huge advantage in TOP on Sunday. They must run the football, convert third downs, drive the ball down the field, and keep Washington’s explosive offense on the sideline.

Joe Clark: Stop the run. That will be difficult against the Commanders, who have Jayden Daniels as a runner, and Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr., who have had strong seasons. Still, if Pittsburgh can limit what Washington can do on the ground, they should have a good chance in this one.

Ross McCorkle: Red zone defense. This one is simple. The Commanders don’t turn the ball over. The Steelers have allowed a decent amount of yards while limiting points by winning in the red zone. That must continue against a team that doesn’t turn the ball over.

Scott Brown: Pick up where they left off – on offense. The Commanders haven’t been able to stop the run. Make them do it in a battle between two of the NFL’s most surprising teams. Harris is hot, and Jaylen Warren is much healthier after the Steelers’ bye.

If the Commanders load up to stop the run, Russell Wilson can throw over the top of their defense. If Wilson continues to turn back the clock, the Steelers won’t just sneak into the playoffs only to get blasted in the wild-card round. They’ll be a real threat come mid-January.

Troy Montgomery: Make every possession matter. The Commanders’ offense is elite for a few different reasons. Maybe their most impressive feat, though, is their ability not to punt or turn the ball over. They are incredibly efficient, scoring more often than not.

Therefore, the Steelers need not waste any offensive possession they have. They start slowly and struggle in the red zone, but those issues can’t be as present this week. The Steelers aren’t built to win a shootout. If the Commanders run the score up, it could be a long day for the Steelers.

QUESTION 4: WHAT IS YOUR PREDICTION FOR STEELERS AT COMMANDERS?

Josh Carney: Coming into the season, I wasn’t too worried about this matchup because the Commanders are historically a poor franchise, and I wasn’t all that high on the Dan Quinn hiring. However, the selection of Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall has completely changed the franchise.

They now look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender and do many things at a high level. Over the bye week, I was very worried about this matchup. As the game draws closer and closer, I’m still very worried. The good news is that Mike Tomlin and the Steelers are historically good coming out of a bye week and are dominant against rookie quarterbacks.

It’s hard to bet against history. Steelers 23, Commanders 20

Joe Clark:  This might be Pittsburgh’s biggest test of the season, but it’s a game they’ll be ready for. With the Baltimore Ravens looming, the Steelers can’t afford a letdown this Sunday, and Mike Tomlin will have them ready. They’ll win a close one. Steelers 27 Commanders 23

Ross McCorkle: Tomlin has a long history of being good after the bye week and against rookie quarterbacks. They also have a history of shutting down Lamar Jackson, who most other teams have issues with. I think they can limit Jayden Daniels and win the biggest test of their seasons so far. Steelers 23, Commanders 18.

Scott Brown: Mike Tomlin is money after the bye, and I normally love the Steelers’ chances against a rookie QB. Alas, Jayden Daniels is not just any rookie QB. There will be points in this one, and oddly enough, I worry more about the Steelers’ defense than their offense on Sunday. Ultimately, they have to settle for one too many Chris Boswell field goals while losing their grip on the AFC North lead. Commanders 27, Steelers 23.

Troy Montgomery: Mike Tomlin usually prepares the Steelers for any challenge right after their bye week. He also has a fantastic track record against rookie quarterbacks. However, I can’t disregard all that Jayden Daniels has done.

I remember some of those losses Tomlin had against rookie quarterbacks. Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, and C.J. Stroud all tore the Steelers apart. Daniels is having a similar impact on his team as those players did. The Steelers’ defense is elite, but the Commanders’ offense doesn’t do enough wrong to make me think the Steelers’ offense can keep up with them. Commanders 30, Steelers 20.