As we do every week to get you ready for our upcoming game, our X-factor of the week. Sometimes, it’s a player, unit, concept, or scheme. Here’s our Pittsburgh Steelers X-factor of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
STEELERS VS CHIEFS X-FACTOR: CALVIN AUSTIN III
The Pittsburgh Steelers might have their toughest test of the year on Christmas Day, which will happen with the entire country watching. While Pittsburgh does return home, where they’ve only lost one of their four games, the Steelers play the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions in the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pittsburgh is getting their own version of a ‘Christmas Miracle’, though. After missing the previous three weeks with an injury, star WR George Pickens is expected to suit up. For obvious reasons, having Pickens back is a major help for Pittsburgh. Their offense has struggled in his absence, scoring just 30 combined points in their last two games.
However, one player did step up in Pickens’ absence. Calvin Austin III received five targets in each of the past two games. He caught all but one of them and ended up with 65 receiving yards in each contest. Before the past two weeks, Austin had only hit that number twice on the season.
Calvin Austin has been there when Russell Wilson has looked for him, which was key with Pickens out. It didn’t translate to a win in either game, but it’s nice to see the young receiver step up when the team needs him to. With Pickens back, some might expect Austin to take a backseat again, but there’s a good chance that won’t be the case.
Trent McDuffie will defend Pickens for most of the game on Wednesday. McDuffie has been excellent this year for the Chiefs, and he’s riding a hot streak coming into Wednesday’s matchup with an interception in each of his past two games. With Pickens just making his return from an injury, McDuffie is as difficult of a matchup as it gets.
Pickens will get a ton of attention from the Chief’s defense for obvious reasons. However, that could open up some opportunities for Austin. With Pickens being Kansas City’s main focus, Austin should see some more open space than he has in the past two weeks.
Calvin Austin has formed a solid connection with Wilson in Pickens’ absence. Wednesday’s showdown is an excellent opportunity for Austin to build on that with the world watching. The Steelers might need him to if they want any shot of beating the Chiefs.
