After a victory against the Los Angeles Rams to finally get back into the win column, the 3-5 Green Bay Packers hit the road to take on the 5-3 Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh is coming off a long stretch off after beating the Tennessee Titans last Thursday. The most interesting aspect of this game? The Packers and Steelers mirror each other in their styles of play.
Even though they have opposite records, the Packers and Steelers entered the 2023 season in similar scenarios. They both have struggling offenses that do what they can but cannot carry the team. They feature tough defenses that help keep them in low-scoring games. Green Bay and Pittsburgh rely a lot on the ground attack and have young quarterbacks with potential. When they win, they do not win pretty. It’s usually a slugfest.
The Steelers game is a good test for Green Bay’s chemistry and toughness because Mike Tomlin’s Steelers always put up a fight. Pittsburgh has famously not finished a season with a losing record since hiring him in 2007. It will also be a good test for Green Bay’s offense. Pittsburgh’s defense gives up a lot of yards (377.3 per game), but it is the definition of “bend, don’t break.” They only allow about 20 points per game, which ranks 13th in the league. The Packers’ scoring defense ranks 10th in the NFL, allowing just under 20 points per game.
Green Bay and Pittsburgh’s red-zone defenses are almost equally as good. The Steelers rank eighth in the league with a 45.5% red-zone touchdown rate, while Green Bay ranks ninth with a 46.2 % rate (per foxsports.com).
Their offensive rankings are also very similar.
For passing offense, the Packers rank 22nd while the Steelers rank 25th. For rushing offense, the Packers also rank 22nd while the Steelers also rank 25th. Green Bay’s total offense is marginally better (24th) than Pittsburgh’s (per foxsports.com).
Patrick Peterson, Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick, and old friend Chandon Sullivan make up Pittsburgh’s secondary and will defend Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. Those first three names are all Pro Bowl defensive backs, while Sullivan can be productive and has occasionally blown up a play.
Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon will also have their hands full. They have to get past the Steel Curtain rush of Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Kwon Alexander. Watt has clearly proven to be a problem for offenses, but Heyward brings quickness and penetration similar to that of Myles Garrett. Alexander has proven himself to be a key piece on some great defenses in Tampa Bay.
However, Green Bay’s passing defense should be an advantage going up against a young Kenny Pickett, whose only proven receiver is George Pickens. Najee Harris has had a very quiet season. He’s averaging under four yards per carry and only has two touchdowns in eight games. Even though Harris hasn’t been as effective as usual in the running game, Green Bay’s run defense ranks 23rd in the NFL, surrendering 124 rushing yards per game so far.
The Steelers’ offense has struggled so much over the last year and a half that fans from all over the country have been calling for Tomlin to fire Matt Canada, their current offensive coordinator.
In an effort to better help the offense, Canada decided to start calling plays from the sideline instead of the press box. In his first game back down at field level, the Steelers executed an opening drive that led to a touchdown. They put up 20 points against the Titans, which isn’t amazing but was enough to win.
Jaire Alexander will most likely defend Pickens for most of the game. Carrington Valentine will take on Diontae Johnson because Stokes will be inactive for at least two more games.
Expect Green Bay to rely mainly on the running game to open up the passing game. But Pittsburgh will do the exact opposite. Expect them to come out with a lot of passing on the first drive, and for Najee Harris to also be involved. Then, the Steelers will turn to Harris on the ground later on.
Both teams will be able to move the ball a bit. However, they probably will struggle in the red zone, resulting in field goals instead of touchdowns. Both teams have an equal opportunity to win this game, but expect it to be a low-scoring affair with a lot of defense and field goals. This is a 50/50 game. The Steelers could theoretically absorb the loss without too much trouble, falling to 5-4, but they need every win they can get in a tough division in a loaded AFC. If the Packers end up losing, they need to go into rebuild mode for this offseason. If the Packers win, then that’s two straight for them; they understand where they stand in the league and who they could beat.
