The Jacksonville Jaguars were able to take a long break after a three-game stretch in a span of 11 days. The extra time to recover should come in handy when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8. Although the Steelers rank in the bottom half of the league in most meaningful offensive and defensive categories, they've managed to go 4-2.
The Jags will be traveling to Pittsburgh for this matchup. A win at Acrisure Stadium will ensure they enter their BYE with a 6-2 record, which would be the best one since 1999, when they started 7-1.
While this won't be an easy contest, both their offense and the defense have gotten better as the season progresses, so Jacksonville should feel good about their chances of extending their winning streak to five. With that in mind, here are three important plotlines for the Week 8 bout.
3. Can the Jaguars O-Line contain the Steelers duo of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith?
T.J. Watt didn't have much of an impact as a pass rusher against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. However, he came up with a huge interception that played an immense role in propelling Pittsburgh into victory.
WHAT CAN’T TJ WATT DO?! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/UozMkG22pq
— PFF (@PFF) October 22, 2023
Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor told the media Thursday that Watt is the kind of player teams must account for every play, and with good reason. The All-Pro outside edge rusher has already logged eight sacks this season. He isn't the only player the Jacksonville offensive line will have to worry about though. Alex Highsmith also excels at causing disruption up front. He had three sacks and a couple of stops against the Rams.
On the other hand, the Steelers' interior defensive line isn't nearly as good as penetrating the pocket without Cam Heyward, who was placed on Injured Reserve after suffering a groin injury in the opener. Prized free-agent acquisition Larry Ogunjobi has been mostly underwhelming while Armon Watts has been serviceable but not much else.
If Jaguars offensive tackles Cam Robinson and Anton Harrison neutralize T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, they should have no trouble getting the running game going and protecting Trevor Lawrence.
2. The Jaguars secondary need to contain George Pickens and Diontae Johnson in Week 8
Wide receiver George Pickens raised eyebrows when he said the Jacksonville Jaguars defense relied on hope to stop opponents, as in they hope their defensive front — filled with first-round picks — can hold up long enough. Pickens might've felt comfortable making those comments because he's having a pretty good year. But as safety Rayshawn Jenkins noted, he hasn't respectfully played secondary of the Jags' caliber.
It's true that the Jaguars give passing yards in a bunch. they are 31st in the league in that department. But that's because they take away the run early in the game and force opponents to beat them through the air. On top of that, teams are often trailing, so they need to pass in an attempt to catch up with them.
That said, George Pickens is one of the Steelers' top playmakers and Jacksonville will make it their priority to stop him and Diontae Johnson, who came back in Week 6 after missing time with a hamstring injury. Both of them are a threat to stretch the field and make plays at any given time if left uncovered. Working against the Jaguars is that cornerback Tyson Campbell is limited for the Jags and might not suit up Sunday.
If Tyson Campbell does sit out, Montaric Brown will make his second start of the season and will probably line up against Johnson while Darious Williams, who's having a career year, is assigned to Pickens.
1. The Jaguars must disrupt the Steelers O-Line, rattle QB Kenny Pickett
The Steelers offense hasn't precisely lightened up the scoreboard this season and one big reason is Kenny Pickett. The young passer has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 1,257 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. However, he's only attempted 30 passes or more this season because the Pittsburgh coaching staff wants to minimize his mistakes.
Granted, offensive coordinator Matt Canada's unimaginative scheme doesn't help Pickett but the point is that he isn't currently the kind of quarterback that will get into a shootout and lead the Steelers to victory. That said, having Diontae Johnson back gives the offense an overall boost. The Jacksonville Jaguars can't afford to stack the box and will need to devote resources to containing both Johnson and George Pickens. The good news is that it will be a bit easier to do without having to cover tight end Pat Freiermuth, who landed on Injured Reserve not long ago.
The Jaguars defensive front will need to rattle Pickett as much as possible but the Steelers offensive line has played better in recent weeks. Right tackle Chukwama Okorafor has held his own while Dan Moore has provided stability on the opposite side. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has acknowledged that Travon Walker and Josh Allen wreak a lot of havoc up front, so it's fair to assume they'll prioritize containing the Jaguars pass rush duo.
Okafor and Moore could get help to slow down Allen and Walker but this is a matchup Jacksonville should be able to win.