Can the Steelers find Derwin James?
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT
Steelers 35, Chargers 24
Jan. 11, 2009, at Heinz Field
The Chargers were off a first-round victory over the Indianapolis Colts in the 2008 playoffs, but came to Heinz Field without Hall of Fame RB LaDainian Tomlinson, out with a groin injury. Philip Rivers had a career-best 105.5 passer rating that season and struck quickly with Vincent Jackson on a 41-yard touchdown pass on the fourth play of the game. But the Chargers鈥� second possession ended with Santonio Holmes鈥� 67-yard punt return that tied the game. The Steelers鈥� 14-10 halftime lead reached 21-10 on Heath Miller鈥檚 8-yard touchdown catch in the middle of the third quarter. Darren Sproles returned the ensuing kickoff 63 yards, but Rivers was intercepted by Larry Foote on the next play. The Steelers drove to the 1-yard line but were stopped on fourth down. They got the ball back and put the game away with a Gary Russell 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Willie Parker led all rushers with 146 yards on 27 carries in the Steelers鈥� first playoff win on the way to the championship.
TALE OF THE TAPE
鈥淢elvin Gordon is out with an injury, so you look at Phil Rivers and I was really struck by how this guy is a complete quarterback in all facets of the game. You see him move people with his head and body fakes and of course play-action. His ball-handling skills and the like set up the corners and safeties. That鈥檚 no surprise at this point in his career, but his ability to come off that first read is what I didn鈥檛 know. He varies his release point, even when he鈥檚 taking on incoming (rushers), and can deliver the ball as he鈥檚 coming off that first or second read because he knows he鈥檚 got something cooking on his third one. I found that pretty remarkable and it really speaks to why this guy鈥檚 playing at such a high level.鈥� 鈥� Steelers Radio analyst Craig Wolfley.
TOP QUESTION
Can the Steelers find Derwin James?
The immediate task for the Steelers offense is to control bookend pass-rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, but they must also be aware of safety Derwin James, a 6-2, 215-pounder whom they drafted with the 17th pick last April. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the things he鈥檚 able to do on and around the line of scrimmage,鈥� said Mike Tomlin, 鈥渨hether it鈥檚 in the run game on first or second down, or whether it鈥檚 in the blitz game, or just the general disruption that his presence provides. He鈥檚 too big for perimeter people to block and obviously his athleticism is an asset against much bigger people.鈥� James is considered the favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
THREE QUESTIONS:
With DT STEPHON TUITT
Q: You guys are going up against Mike Pouncey at center. Will it help to have gone against his identical twin all these years?
ST: 鈥淗e鈥檚 a good center. I never went against our center, except in practice, not in a game situation. If I went in a game situation against him then I feel I could make a comparison.鈥�
Q: So, you鈥檙e saying I鈥檓 reaching a little bit here?
ST: 鈥淵eah. Yeah. I didn鈥檛 want to say it that way. You see how polite I am? (Laughs)鈥�
Q: You missed a couple of games but you looked strong out there today. Did (assistant strength coach) Marcell (Pastoor) recover from that workout you gave him?
ST: (Laughs) 鈥淚 was yanking him around and stuff, 鈥楬ey, come be my ragdoll to see if I鈥檓 good.鈥� (Laughs) But, no, I felt good. It felt good to punch. It felt good to be back out there. I鈥檓 excited.鈥�
GAME BREAKDOWN
What to look for from the Steelers tonight at Heinz Field:
ON OFFENSE
A healthy Matt Feiler moves back to right tackle 鈥� after being replaced by rookie Chuks Okorafor last week 鈥� and that might indicate a return to a run-first game plan. Feiler鈥檚 forte is run-blocking, and the Chargers put defensive tackle Corey Liuget on injured reserve 10 days ago and will be without nose tackle Brandon Mebane for family reasons. In their places are 300-pound 3-tech Darius Philon and 293-pound nose Damion Square. The Steelers should be able to run on the Chargers and minimize the pass rush of ends Bosa and Ingram and blitzer James.
ON DEFENSE
The Chargers鈥� playmaking is reflected in their elite average on completions (13.0), runs (5.0) and plays (6.8). Gordon is out with a sprained MCL, but Austin Ekeler, an undrafted second-year back out of D-2 Western State (Co.), averages 5.8 yards per carry, third in the league, just ahead of Broncos RB Phillip Lindsay. Ekeler also has 32 receptions. QB Rivers still has 38-year-old Antonio Gates at TE with Virgil Green and three quality WRs in Keenan Allen (69 rec., 12.3 avg., 4 TD), Tyrell Williams (28-18.5-5) and Mike Williams (24-17.5-7). Tyrell Williams is questionable with a sore quadriceps.
PREDICTION
The Chargers are 8-3, but are 1-6 the last three seasons in games missed by Gordon. His only miss this season was the Chargers鈥� 1-point win at home against the Titans, who failed on a 2-point attempt with 31 seconds remaining. Defensively, the Chargers will be without both of their interior DL, Liuget and Mebane, so the Steelers should have the better of play on both lines of scrimmage. Also, since the Steelers have learned to keep the ball in front of them on defense, it鈥檚 hard to see the Chargers鈥� big-play ability hurting them much. I see the Steelers running the ball and being laser-focused at the finish/goal line this time. 鈥� Steelers, 27-20.
BY THE NUMBERS
3.43: Mike Williams averages a touchdown every 3.43 catches to lead all receivers with at least 20 catches. Williams leads the Chargers with seven receiving touchdowns.
20: Steelers鈥� wins in the final month(s) of the last five regular seasons are the most in the NFL.
97: Rivers鈥� completion percentage last week in a 28-of-29 performance against the Cardinals. He completed 25 in a row for the NFL in-game record and his completion percentage topped Kurt Warner鈥檚 previous record of 92 percent in a 2009 game.
641: Receiving yards out of the slot by JuJu Smith-Schuster leads the NFL.
765: Steelers鈥� won-loss percentage in home night games ranks second in the NFL behind the Seahawks鈥� .786 percentage.
DOWNLOADS
n The Steelers activated undrafted rookie OLB Ola Adeniyi from IR and released undrafted rookie ILB Matthew Thomas, because OLB Bud Dupree (pectoral) is questionable. Expect Thomas to re-sign with the practice squad early next week.
n The dime linebacker position next to L.J. Fort will be absent Morgan Burnett (doubtful/back), so rookie Marcus Allen out of Penn State should make his NFL debut. The fifth-round pick has been inactive every game. Burnett鈥檚 previous backup, CB Cameron Sutton, is questionable for personal reasons.
n If Dupree plays, he and T.J. Watt can compare their stats against the Chargers鈥� first-round bookends Bosa and Ingram. In games both have played, Dupree and Watt averaged a combined 1.05 sacks and 0.28 forced fumbles/interceptions per game. When the Chargers鈥� duo has played together, they鈥檝e combined to average 1.35 sacks and 0.33 forced fumbles/interceptions per game.
n Watt鈥檚 older brother Derek Watt, the Chargers鈥� fullback, is used in a fashion similar to that of Steelers fullback Rosie Nix, who鈥檚 played 88 offensive snaps this season and caught three passes for 36 yards. Nix hasn鈥檛 carried and has four tackles on special teams. Watt has played 104 offensive snaps with three carries for three yards, no receptions and three tackles on special teams.
n Michael Badgley will be the second rookie kicker to visit Heinz Field this year (Greg Joseph of Cleveland was 2-for-3). But Badgley, the University of Miami鈥檚 all-time leader in field goals, kicked at Heinz Field in college. He was 5-for-5 in a 2015 win over Pitt. His long that day was 48 yards. An in-season signing, Badgley has made all nine field goal attempts for the Chargers with a long of 46. He missed an extra point in the third-quarter of the Chargers鈥� 1-point loss to Denver. Of Badgley鈥檚 31 kickoffs, 25 have been returned.
n Former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt (2004-06) is in his third consecutive season as Chargers offensive coordinator. The Chargers led the NFL in passing offense last season and are currently seventh 鈥� right behind the Steelers (28.7) 鈥� in scoring offense at 27.9 points per game. 鈥淗e keeps up with what鈥檚 going on in the league, the trends that are happening in terms of RPOs and all that stuff, what everybody is doing,鈥� said Steelers defensive coordinator and close friend Keith Butler. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got some motions and shifts and stuff like that that make it difficult. They do a good job of executing it.鈥� Whisenhunt interviewed this weekend for the head coaching job at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.
PARTING SHOT
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping this is a ball-up-your-fist, bull-your-neck, handoff-to-James and see-you-in-four-yards type of game.鈥� 鈥� Steelers Radio Network analyst Craig Wolfley.