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How the Steelers¡¯ offense can exploit the Chiefs¡
« on: February 15th, 2019, 9:28am »
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the Kansas City Chiefs to come to Heinz Field in Week 2 action Terrell Edmunds Jersey , and there are a lot of talking points heading into this game. Will Patrick Mahomes and the high-flying Chiefs¡¯ offense be able to keep up their 38-point pace this week? Is Ben Roethlisberger due for a bounce back? What are Kansas City fans predicting in this game?To get these answers I went behind enemy lines and asked Pete Sweeney, editor of Arrowhead Pride, some questions about the upcoming game. Take a look at what the other side of the fence is thinking about the upcoming game, as well as a prediction!For the best Steelers - Chiefs analysis, from the Kansas City side of the things, be sure to check out Arrowhead Pride.What should Steelers fans expect when it comes to the Chiefs¡¯ offense? Always this high powered, or will they come back to earth in Week 2?This is a tough question. Answering very literally, yes, this offense is always high-powered. But the problem with that answer is we have only seen it so far for one real week, ever (Remember, Patrick Mahomes took over for Alex Smith this year). If last week combined with the preseason is any indication, we should expect big things from Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill all season. How Sammy Watkins and Travis Kelce (27 combined yards in Week 1) fit into that mix remains to be seen. Along those same lines, the Chiefs¡¯ defense isn¡¯t what it once was. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this group?The Chiefs¡¯ front seven, in my opinion Authentic James Conner Jersey , is a strength. The defensive line, led by Chris Jones, is stout, and the Chiefs¡¯ GM, Brett Veach, brought Anthony Hitchens on board this offseason in order to fix the run defense. On the outside, Justin Houston and Dee Ford lead the way as the Chiefs rotate in their top draft pick in Breeland Speaks. Where they struggle is in the secondary. The Chiefs¡¯ top cornerbacks are Kendall Fuller and Steve Nelson, but there appears what could be a big drop-off with their nickel cornerback in No. 22 Orlando Scandrick. Scandrick may be in for a tough day Sunday with the Steelers¡¯ elite receivers.Patrick Mahomes is exciting to watch, but has he shown any ¡°young QB¡± mistakes early on? Mahomes looked very good on Sunday, and he did have some interceptions during training camp and the preseason. Through Week 1, there were a few reads he said he could have made better, but no careless mistakes that you¡¯ll sometimes see from young quarterbacks. I think determining this one way or another is too early to tell, and Week 2 should provide some more clarity. The Steelers have done very well against Kansas City over the years. How to Chiefs fans view the Steelers? A non-divisional rival?I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d call it a rivalry, but it¡¯s certainly a hump Chiefs fans are aware of. I don¡¯t think this exists so much with the players. Talking with them Youth JuJu Smith-Schuster Jersey , especially their new quarterback and so many new defensive players, they really weren¡¯t here in recent years for the Steelers¡¯ dominance. The fans feel this game matters more, but for these Chiefs, I really think it¡¯s just another Sunday.If you were a defensive coordinator, how would you slow down this Chiefs offense?This is a tall task. In previous years, I¡¯d say find a way to stop Travis Kelce and then go from there. But I think, in 2018, Tyreek Hill could eclipse even Kelce for the team¡¯s most dangerous weapon. And that fact is what makes the Chiefs so hard to deal with as a team. If opposing defenses eliminate the threat of one weapon, the Chiefs have another. Hill, Kelce, Kareem Hunt and Sammy Watkins, probably in that order. The answer probably involves getting to Patrick Mahomes as fast as you can by attacking the Chiefs¡¯ weakest part of their offensive line at left guard.PredictionI took some heat last week for picking the Chargers over the Chiefs in the season opener. I was wrong, and I heard about it. But I think we learned a lot about the Chiefs in the game. For one, their offense can be very http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-joe-haden-jerse
y , very good this year. Not at the middle, or the end¡ªright now. And two, the Chiefs secondary is probably as questionable as we thought it to be (the Chargers dropped two wide-open touchdowns in the first half or they might have been right there). Once again, I think the Chiefs are in for a shootout. It¡¯s just a matter of whether or not they can manage to muster a stop or two, or simply score last. I give the Steelers the slight edge at home. Steelers 35, Chiefs 31 Falcons coach Dan Quinn saves some of his highest compliments for defenders who never take their eyes off the ball.Not surprisingly, Quinn raves often about third-year linebacker Deion Jones. The only problem is that Jones, a Pro Bowl alternate pick last season, missed 10 games with a broken foot, and the once-sleek defense fell apart without its signal-caller.But now that Jones is back and healthy, Quinn likes his chances as Atlanta (5-9) prepares to visit Carolina (6- ."Our attempts on the football are higher over the last three weeks," Quinn said. "Last week was higher than the week before, and that was higher than the week before, and the week before. For him being back in the lineup Chris Boswell Jersey , that's also a strong indicator of his awareness of the football."Jones isn't accustomed to getting embarrassed in coverage. He knows his skills are as stout against the pass as they are against the run, so when David Johnson beat him on a 40-yard catch and run on the opening drive of last week's win over Arizona, Jones was livid."It kind of throws you off a little bit, and then I have to reset and get back to my details and keep fighting," Jones told The Associated Press. "There was still a lot of game to play."Indeed, on the Cardinals' next possession, Jones was shading Johnson in coverage when defensive end Vic Beasley tipped a pass at the line of scrimmage. Jones snatched the ball from the air and ran 41 yards for a tying touchdown.That was his third score in eight career interceptions. He also had a pick in the end zone last year to save a narrow win over New Orleans."I'm always after the ball, man," Jones said. . That's what we preach, and I try to live that every down when I'm out there. If I see an opp, I take my swing at it.What the Falcons missed most about Jones was his speed. At 6-foot-1, 222 pounds, he has the same size and quickness he had at his pro day at LSU, where he dazzled scouts by running the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds.His pick-six against the Cardinals began the best day of the year for Atlanta's defense. Though it came against an Arizona offense riddled with injuries and horrible statistics Authentic Xavier Grimble Jersey , the Falcons still got an interception from Brian Poole and a fumble recovery from Poole and Grady Jarrett.But as they prepare to face a Carolina offense that has backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke replacing injured star Cam Newton, the Falcons need another shutdown performance to improve on a defense that ranks second-worst in third-down percentage and red-zone efficiency, fourth-worst in scoring and eighth-worst against the run.The most important matchup could likely be Jones against Panthers multipurpose back Christian McCaffrey, who can be a nightmare to cover man-to-man."That's strength on strength in that instance," Quinn said. "We'll rely on Debo quite a bit in that way."Even if Jones has a slipup similar to one he had against Arizona, Quinn likes his linebacker's chances over the course of a full game."It doesn't happen that often with him," Quinn said. "People try him a lot, but he's usually right there ready to respond."Notes: WR Julio Jones was held out of practice Wednesday with a sore hip. Quinn said Jones will play at Carolina. ... Quinn officially ruled out RB Devonta Freeman, sidelined since Week 5 with a groin injury, for the last two games. Custom Cleveland Browns Jerseys
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