The known unknowns. That’s the secret to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ winning Sunday against the New York Jets. Understanding there’s plenty of “new” on both sides, a new-look Steelers roster and a new Jets regime, Aaron Rodgers says whoever handles it best will come out the victor.
“There’s always unscouted looks,” Rodgers told reporters Wednesday via the team website. “Over the year, different analytics people have said it’s in the 30 to 40-percent as far as unscouted things. Obviously, they’ve held a number of things, I’m sure, in the preseason. We’ve held a number of things that we haven’t run on offense and defense.
“There’ll be a lot of unscouted looks, and that’ll be perhaps the deciding factor in the game, is who handles the unguided looks the best.”
Pittsburgh is replacing big chunks of last year’s roster. Over 10,000 collective snaps from offense, defense, and special teams aren’t returning. Veterans like WR DK Metcalf, CBs Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay, along with Rodgers himself, take their place. The Steelers shed themselves of their leading passer, rusher, receiver, and interceptions leader from a season ago, and the roster has more turnover in four seasons under Omar Khan than it did under Chuck Noll. Change was arguably needed, but what it looks like on the other side remains to be seen.
The Jets have plenty of it, too. Tearing the franchise down to the studs, Aaron Glenn went from Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator to New York’s new head coach. Darren Mougey is a rookie in his new role as team GM. Focusing on the trenches with first-round pick OT Armand Membou, the Jets, like the Steelers, have a young offensive line that must meet expectations. Their defense is the stronger side of the ball, featuring talent up front in EDGE Will McDonald and DT Quinnen Williams, and in the secondary with CB Sauce Gardner.
Both sides might *think* they know what the other is doing. But Week One is for testing assumptions. Some will be proven correct. Some will fall on its face. Whoever rolls with the punches best will win the chess match and likely the game.
