Though it may not feel like it, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in good shape. However, this is the part of the season in which they have to be. The Steelers have to run the gauntlet in December and January, so they’ve got to put themselves in a good position before the tougher matchups come along. That’s why Chris Broussard believes Sunday’s showdown against the Minnesota Vikings is a must-win game.
“It’s a must-win,” Broussard said Wednesday on FS1’s First Things First. “You must stay healthy, but you absolutely must win. This is when, the first six weeks, is when they’re supposed to build up wins… You got a break because Minnesota’s QB is injured. Carson Wentz, who hasn’t played real good football for a stretch, you can’t lose to him. He’s dusting off the cobwebs.”
Carson Wentz may not be a starter in the NFL anymore, but he did play well against the Cincinnati Bengals last week. He was about as efficient as you can ask your backup quarterback to be. Wentz completed 14 of his 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. He’s their backup for a reason, but that doesn’t mean he’s a terrible option. Wentz has played a lot of good football in his career and has seen about everything during his decade in the NFL.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Steelers’ defense can’t really consider any other team a weak opponent. They’re struggling against the run. If they allow Minnesota to get into a rhythm on the ground, that only makes it easier for Wentz to throw against a defense that’s also struggling in third and long situations. Jordan Mason ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns last week, so he’ll be tough to stop.
However, where the Vikings can really hurt the Steelers is with their defense. Just like Pittsburgh, that unit forced five turnovers last week. They even took two of them back to the house. Pittsburgh hasn’t really fumbled the ball often this year, but Aaron Rodgers has had a few ugly throws. Brian Flores and his maniacal disguises could pose a real threat to Pittsburgh’s passing attack, which has really been the only way they’ve moved the ball consistently.
It would be a massive boost for the Steelers to go into their bye week at 3-1. Once they return from their bye, they face the 1-2 Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals, who will be without Joe Burrow. There’s a real chance this team could start 5-1.
However, they’ve got to get past Minnesota first, and that won’t be easy. They’re a well-coached team that just destroyed the Bengals while being shorthanded. The Vikings will present plenty of challenges for the Steelers come Sunday.
