Jaguars head to Pittsburgh to face Steelers with a chance to cement their status as an AFC contender
Gregory Bull - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt gets ready to throw his gloves and a towel to fans after the Steelers defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-17 in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris, center, celebrates his touchdown as Los Angeles Rams safety Jordan Fuller, right, kneels on the ground during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs for yardage against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs for yardage against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk, left, runs past New Orleans Saints safety Jordan Howden (31) for a 44-yard touchdown on a pass play in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
PITTSBURGH 鈥� It took less than a season for Doug Pederson to turn chaos into cohesion in Jacksonville.
Nearing the midway point of his second year with the Jaguars, the moribund franchise Pederson took over is showing the hallmarks of being a legitimate contender. Jacksonville (5-2) takes a four-game winning streak into Sunday鈥檚 visit to enigmatic Pittsburgh (4-2) and has a somewhat comfortable perch atop the AFC South.
Asked if he anticipated his team quickly proving their abrupt rise in 2022 wasn鈥檛 a fluke, Pederson shrugged.
鈥淵eah, quite honestly,鈥� Pederson said. 鈥淵ou expect to be in this situation. We can still play better. I think there鈥檚 a lot left out on the field each weekend that we can learn from and improve.鈥�
Maybe, but it helps to learn and win at the same time. The Jaguars have steadied themselves following a 1-2 start and are favored in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1999, a nod of respect by oddsmakers to a team that averaged 12 1/2 losses a season in the four years before Pederson arrived.
鈥淚 think this is a very mature team that we have and I think we understand what鈥檚 at stake this week and every week moving forward,鈥� quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. 鈥淓very game is critical, it鈥檚 crucial.鈥�
The erratic Steelers 鈥� who have found ways to win despite serious issues on offense 鈥� offer a unique test before the Jaguars head into their bye.
鈥淧ittsburgh, their whole organization has like an aura around it and that鈥檚 really cool there,鈥� Lawrence said.
But not intimidating 鈥� at least not historically 鈥� for the Jaguars. Jacksonville has won five of its last six on the road against the Steelers, including an upset victory in the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs that seemed to signal the start of a potentially long run of success.
The window of opportunity slammed shut almost as quickly as it opened. Three years of dysfunction followed before Pederson鈥檚 arrival. Jacksonville now has a core of young talent on offense and a defense that has an NFL-best 16 takeaways.
In that way, the Jaguars and Steelers are near mirror images of each other. Pittsburgh has found a way to hang around in the tight AFC North by winning tight game after tight game. All of the Steelers鈥� four victories have been by seven points or less, while their two losses have been blowouts in which they鈥檝e been outscored 60-13.
The visit by the Jaguars is the start of a rare three-game homestand for Pittsburgh and a chance for the Steelers to look like a playoff team somewhere other than the standings.
鈥淲e鈥檙e nowhere near where we need to be,鈥� quarterback Kenny Pickett said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 good news, when you鈥檙e winning and you鈥檙e steadily improving but the most important thing is to get the win. So, haven鈥檛 had that full four-quarter game where we can say we played our best football.鈥�
Pittsburgh will need to muster it at some point. Until then, they鈥檙e fine finding a way to hang around while waiting for the opponent to blink first.
鈥淲e will our way,鈥� running back Najee Harris said. 鈥淲e always prepare for a 15-round fight.鈥�
RIDLEY鈥橲 ROLL
Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley, the team鈥檚 biggest offseason addition, is coming off one of his worst games as a pro. He caught one pass for 5 yards in a 31-24 victory at New Orleans last week. It was the latest lull in an up-and-down start for the former Atlanta standout.
He has 27 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with 40 yards receiving or fewer in five of his last six games. Ridley insists winning is all that matters, but don鈥檛 be surprised if the Jaguars try to get him more involved early against the Steelers.
鈥淭he success that we have is going to be because of Calvin鈥檚 success on the field,鈥� Pederson said.
KEEPING THEIR COOL
Pittsburgh wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens both drew personal fouls during last week鈥檚 comeback win over Los Angeles that cost the Steelers field position, a less-than-ideal development for a team that ranks last in the league in first downs.
Harris also came close to earning an unsportsmanlike conduct call for jawing with a member of the Rams defense.
鈥淲e鈥檙e competitors, you know,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淟ike the game is tight. You want to make plays and you might have a little bit of chit chat. We鈥檝e just got to find a balance where to knowing when there鈥檚 too much and when to stop.鈥�
TAKEAWAY TRAIN
Jacksonville leads the NFL with 16 takeaways, including 11 during the team鈥檚 four-game winning streak. The Jaguars have two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the stretch, and Pederson says he 鈥渉opes it鈥檚 sustainable.鈥�
鈥淭akeaways come in bunches and waves, and you ride the wave a little bit,鈥� he said.
HISTORY LESSON
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt was just a rookie when the underdog Jaguars pulled off that 45-42 playoff stunner six years ago. Now he鈥檚 a perennial All-Pro and one of the game鈥檚 elite players. Watt鈥檚 eight sacks are second in the NFL and he seems to be finding a way to disrupt game plans every week no matter what opponents try to do to stop him.
Now Watt will find himself lined up against Jaguars rookie tackle Anton Harrison, who had issues earlier this year trying to block Kansas City鈥檚 Chris Jones.
鈥淗e鈥檚 just an all-around great player,鈥� Lawrence said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to always know where he鈥檚 at, you鈥檝e got to have a plan for him.鈥�
AP Pro Football Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville contributed to this report.
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