Riding high on a couple of record setting performances from Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers will travel to New York looking for their fourth straight victory. They’ll face a Jets team on the heels of a downward spiral, having lost their last eight straight. Having surpassed 20 points only three times all season, the Jets have turned to Michael Vick, hoping to jumpstart the offense.
While the Pittsburgh defense isn’t the imposing juggernaut it’s been for most of the last decade, it’s the offense in recent weeks that have given opponents fits. With a front office that has jettisoned off valuable veterans Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie in consecutive seasons, the Jets may struggle in coverage, forced to line up unheralded players across from the likes of Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant. Fortunately New York has one of the league’s best defensive lines, and if they can dominate at the point of attack and generate pressure against a line that’s allowed 17 sacks this year, the Jets might be able to slow down Big Ben enough to pull out their second win of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Kelvin Beachum – While Beachum has allowed the third-most sacks of all tackles (six), he’s allowed only seven additional pressures, leading to a Pass Blocking Efficiency of 96.9, the seventh-best figure among tackles.
Martavis Bryant – Over the past three weeks, Bryant is ninth (of 78) in Yards per Route Run (2.98), and Roethlisberger has a quarterback rating of 131.6 when targeting the fourth-round pick. He leads all wide receivers with five touchdowns over that span.
Lawrence Timmons – With 26 stops in run defense, no inside linebacker has a higher Run Stop Percentage than the 13.6 of the veteran Timmons. His +11.0 run defense grade is second best among inside linebackers.
New York Jets
Nick Mangold – He may not have much help on the interior, but the lifelong Jet has had a terrific season. His Pass Blocking Efficiency of 99.0 is fourth best among 40 centers, and thanks to some excellent run blocking, his combined +15.8 grade is nearly double that of the next highest center.
Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson – The Jets’ best chance at grounding the Pittsburgh aerial assault will be with a strong pass rush, and there isn’t a better interior pass rushing duo than these two. Both are near the top of the charts in both total pressures and pass rushing grade.
Percy Harvin – Though he’s played just 104 snaps with the Jets, Harvin already has more receiving yards (151) with his new team than he had in five games with Seattle (133) and nearly as many yards after the catch (102 vs. 107).
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