It might be hard to believe but heading into Week Four of the NFL regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in first place in the AFC North. After watching the Steelers get blown out in Week One, many wondered if this team could rebound but here they are, riding a two-game winning streak and hoping to extend it against a talented Houston Texans team.
Here are our keys to victory.
Stick with the run
It is obvious that the Steelers run game isn’t as efficient as the team would like. Nevertheless, running the football is how Pittsburgh gets to play action and this is where quarterback Kenny Pickett is at his best.
Make life uncomfortable for CJ Stroud
The Texans will start left tackle Austin Deculus who was on their practice squad and this could be the key to shaking up rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. EDGE Alex Highsmith lines up on that side and should be able to take advantage of the matchup.
Incorporate the tight ends into the offense
We have loved seeing Pickett unafraid to take shots downfield as it has paid off. But maintaining drives means using more than just the deep pass. The Steelers have failed to utilize any of their talented tight ends in the offense but this needs to change in order to stay on schedule on those possession downs.
Keep an eye on Dameon Pierce
The Texans talented running back is off to a slow start but don’t let that fool you. This is a back capable of huge numbers if forgotten about. Pittsburgh cannot focus too heavily on Stroud and forget Pierce is back there. This means tackling and assignment football have to be on point.
