Game Overview ::
By Mike johnson >>
- This game has huge playoff implications in the AFC with both teams in the Wild Card hunt and within striking distance of their respective division lead.
- Pittsburgh has lost four of its last six games and has not allowed an opponent to score over 21 points in any of its victories this season.
- Aaron Rodgers will be back at quarterback for the Steelers after a 1.5-game absence with a broken left wrist.
- The Bills have been a “Jekyll and Hyde” team this season, posting huge games in wins and laying complete duds in other spots.
- Buffalo’s offensive line issues loom large over their potential to score points and the overall game environment.
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How buffalo Will Try To Win ::
The Bills enter Week 13 with a 7-4 record, which would be great for many teams but has been a bit disappointing for a team that is always in the Super Bowl discussion and has very high expectations. Their record itself is not the only thing troubling, but the stark splits in how this team performs truly stand out. Buffalo has scored 28+ points in all seven of their victories, while scoring 20 points or less in all four of their losses. Obviously, the more points a team scores, the more likely they are to win, but the drastic nature of these splits and the fact that there is really no in-between seems like it will be a problem for the Bills to reach the heights they envisioned when the season began. Their defense has been somewhat consistently disappointing, as they have been gashed in the running game all year (only the Giants are worse in run defense) and they have only held the Jets, Saints, and Panthers under 21 points.
The last time we saw the Bills offense, they were getting curb-stomped by the Texans elite defensive front. Buffalo suffered injuries to their offensive line in that game and appears likely to be without both starting offensive tackles (who are their best overall linemen) for this game. Pittsburgh’s defensive front is above average and has been very good this season in certain spots, particularly when their opponent does not have elite receivers who can get open quickly. In the Texans game, the Bills often had all five skill players going out on pass routes and left their five linemen to block the Texans, mostly in individual matchups. It did not go well. The Texans elite defensive front was able to consistently get pressure without blitzing, which made finding open receivers a nightmare for Josh Allen and he was unable to escape their standout pass rushers, as he was sacked 8 times and took countless other hits. Buffalo will need to find a better way to execute their passing game and protect Allen if they want to have offensive success this week.
James Cook is second in the NFL in rushing yards, but he will also suffer from the losses on the offensive line and is facing a Pittsburgh run defense that has been very good recently. The Steelers have held three of their last four opponents under four yards per carry, including Jonathan Taylor and the Colts. The offensive line issues pose a massive problem for Buffalo, whose offense has structurally been succeeding by controlling the line of scrimmage and leaning heavily on Allen and Cook, with everyone else having things created from the success that those two have. Khalil Shakir is Buffalo’s top wide receiver and had a big game against the Texans, specifically making huge plays after the catch. He has been inconsistent this season, with three games of under 40 receiving yards and only two of 70 or more. The Bills may get tight end Dalton Kincaid back from his multi-week absence after he practiced in a limited fashion Thursday and Friday. His addition would be huge for a team struggling to find itself offensively and may allow the Bills to run more “heavy” formations with multiple tight ends, which would help both their running game and pass protection. The Steelers defense is ascending, and the Bills offense is in turmoil. They will need Josh Allen to work to create offense and sustain drives in this one while avoiding the negative plays that are drive killers and cost them against Houston.
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