This Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals might be the most significant game of Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s career. A loss this week would be four in a row, put the team below .500 with just two games to play and likely shut them out of the playoffs. Here are the big storylines for this week’s game.
Can Mason Rudolph give the team a spark?
Head coach Mike Tomlin is going with Mason Rudolph this week in hopes he can find a way to put some points on the board. This is likely the last game before Kenny Pickett returns so Rudolph can nothing to hold back for.
Is George Pickens ready to play?
The sheer volume of criticism toward George Pickens this week has been overwhelming. We can’t wait to see how he responds. Will he step up and play big or does this just cause him to withdraw from his team even more?
Who steps up on defense?
Pittsburgh looks like they are going to start an injured Elijah Riley at one safety spot and practice squad player Eric Rowe at the other safety spot. With this being a clear weakness, what Steelers defenders step up to protect this defense?
What happens if the Steelers lose?
It could be a rough Christmas if the Steelers can’t get this win on Saturday. What will the backlash be if Pittsburgh struggles again in terms of players on the roster and even among the coaches? A lot of guys could get big lumps of coal in their stockings.
