The Pittsburgh Steelers have three games left to play and if the team has any hope of making the playoffs, they must win all three. First up are the Las Vegas Raiders in the prime-time showdown on Christmas Eve. Both teams are 6-8 and need this win. But this is Pittsburgh’s game to lose and they aren’t going to lose it. Here are three reasons why.
You win it for Franco
The weekend was already going to be emotional because of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception but the tragic death of Franco Harris just adds to the emotion and motivation of this game.
The Steelers defense is finally getting the run defense right
The last two weeks have shown that the Steelers defense is finally figuring out how to keep the run game in check. The Raiders lean heavily on running back Josh Jacobs and is going to be the focus of the Las Vegas offense. The Steelers secondary can’t take the night off but controlling the Raiders passing game starts with stuffing down the run.
The passing game is going to shine
This is less about the return of Kenny Pickett and more about the matchups. The Raiders are 26th in the NFL in passing yards allowed and are going to be focusing all their attention on trying to stop running back Najee Harris. Assuming tight end Pat Freiermuth isn’t on a pitch count this week, he, along with wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens should have some excellent one-one-one opportunities.
