The Buccaneers get back home in Week 6 with a fresh win in hand, but the Steelers are bringing a very different look to Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh arrives with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, Jaylen Warren driving the run game, and a defense that has flashed in stretches while still leaving questions behind.
To get a better read on what the Bucs are walking into Sunday, Curt Popejoy of Steelers Wire weighed in on the matchup and where Pittsburgh has looked strongest - and shakier - through five games.
Rodgers, in Popejoy’s view, has fit into an offense that plays to his strengths rather than forcing him into something unfamiliar. The biggest lift for the passing game, he said, has come from getting the tight end more involved, and that has had a ripple effect on the ground attack too.
"I don't think it's so much that Aaron Rodgers has changed the identity so much as the system Mike McCarthy has brought with him suits Rodgers better. The biggest improvement in terms of the passing game has been the inclusion of the tight end more in the passing offense and how much that has opened up the run game."
That run game is going to be tested by a Buccaneers defense that just watched Bucky Irving pile up 165 yards against Dallas. Popejoy didn’t pretend Pittsburgh could treat that lightly, especially with the Steelers’ tackling issues still looming over their front.
"I think the Steelers should always be concerned as long as they have games where they struggle to tackle. They focused heavily on stopping Jonathan Taylor last week and did a great job but they are just as likely to backslide this week and struggle to slow down Irving."
On the other side, Warren has become the engine. Popejoy called him "easily the team MVP at this point," and said Pittsburgh has leaned on him heavily after Rico Dowdle’s injury pushed the coaches to make Warren the feature back. He also pointed to the right side of the offensive line as part of the reason Warren has had room to work.
"As for other players, rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard is going to start this week and he's a pretty special talent who is finally getting a shot and their tandem of tight ends have been good when called on."
Special teams, meanwhile, has been another issue for Pittsburgh since Danny Smith moved on. Popejoy didn’t sugarcoat that part of the story, saying the unit has lost its edge without him.
"The Steelers special teams has stunk this year and you can see that spark is gone without Danny Smith coaching them up. As far as Killebrew, I really wanted him to return but at this point the issues are far more about coaching."
As for what could swing Sunday, Popejoy circled a pair of trenches-and-perimeter battles: Tampa Bay’s receivers against a Steelers secondary dealing with injuries, and Pittsburgh’s edge defenders against the Buccaneers’ offensive tackles. Still, he put his trust in the quarterback who has been doing this the longest.
"The positional matchups to watch are the Bucs receivers against a banged-up Steelers secondary and the Steelers edge defenders against the Bucs offensive tackles. If the Steelers are going to win this game, it might have to be on defense but despite all that, I give the edge here to the better quarterback.
I really liked Jalon Daniels coming out of KU but I think Rodgers will get the better of him. Steelers 31, Bucs 24"
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