Jaguars vs Steelers: 3 Matchups to Watch
By Luke Sims
The Pittsburgh Steelers come to town on Sunday and they bring the potential to blow any game wide open. The Jacksonville Jaguars desperately need to improve their defense to limit the abilities of the Steelers to make this a rout.
Three matchups in particular will be crucial for the Jaguars to be successful.
Sep 21, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) prepares to throw the ball during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger vs Jacksonville Jaguars’ Secondary
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the worst defense in the league and a big part of that is the secondary. They allow players to get over the top for big gains on a regular basis. The Jaguars have made moves to try and address this, but don’t expect too much improvement. The team will also likely be playing without starting cornerback Dwayne Gratz who suffered a concussion last week.
Jaguars Wed injury report II: HC Gus Bradley says he doubts CB Dwayne Gratz will play Sunday, and team has ruled WR Marqise Lee out
— John Oehser (@JohnOehser) October 1, 2014
Roethlisberger is an excellent quarterback and he has great receiving weapons, particularly veteran receiver Antonio Brown. Expect him to try and assert dominance over the secondary early and really take the fight to them. The Jaguars have a solid pass rush but Roethlisberger is a big, tough, mobile quarterback who will make it difficult for the pass rush to impact his passing game. The Jaguars will need to step up their game in a big way or risk being torched by Big Ben and company.