Packers-Steelers scouting report Week 15
December 17th, 2009 | by adamburnett |The Packers (9-4) face the Steelers (6-7) in a must win for the defending champs on Sunday. The Packers have won 5 straight while the Steelers have lost 5 straight games. Pittsburgh is on the outside looking in for the wild card race and must receive a lot of help. This game scares me because emotionally I would anticipate one of the Steelers best games of the season, because their backs are against the wall. The two teams have a number of similarities with their inability to protect the quarterback, proficiency stopping the ground game, points allowed, and their glaring weaknesses in the secondary.
The Packers offensive line has allowed the most sacks in the NFL with 47, while the Steelers defense has the 2nd most sacks with 39. Pittsburgh has struggled to protect the quarterback with 38 sacks allowed. The Steelers can bring the heat off the edge with OLB’s James Harrison and Lamar Woodley combining for 19 sacks. Packers rookie OLB Clay Matthews has added teeth to the defense with 8 sacks this season.
This is a matchup of the top 2 rush defenses in the NFL with the Steelers allowing an average of 84.9 yards per game while the Pack allows an average of 85. Ryan Grant has three hundred yard games this season and over a thousand yards this year. Pittsburgh’s run defense has fallen off during the losing streak, but, I wouldn’t use Grant if I had other viable options. Running back Rashard Mendenhall will receive 3rd down work due to Mewelde Moore’s ineffectiveness. The Packers main goal on defense is to stop the running game and Mendenhall will be target number 1. I believe both offenses will use the short passing to move the ball.
The Packers offense has multiple weapons in the passing game to attack defenses. Aaron Rodgers does a great job of spreading the ball around to Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, James Jones, Jordy Nelson, and Spencer Havner. The Packers find a weakness in the defense and try to attack that matchup. That’s why we have different guys producing each week. The Packers use the passing game to set up the run and often abandon the ground game too early. Each loss has gone about the same with the ground game missing in action. The Steelers have solid weapons on offense with Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, and Heath Miller. Because the Packers don’t get a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks the Steelers may be able to pick on Tramon Williams and Jarrett Bush.
The Packers defense is 3rd in the league with 23 interceptions and the Steelers are 27th with only 8 picks this season. Charles Woodson has 8 picks on the year. The injuries to Troy Polamalu and Al Harris have affected each team’s secondary with inferior replacements being thrust to the forefront. The Packers have allowed 243 points, while the Steelers have given up 244 this season.
I believe these teams are a lot closer than many fans believe due to the records. Pittsburgh is a wounded animal with more vested in this matchup. If the Steelers lose the door is shut on their slim playoff hopes. This should be a vey physical matchup as one of the late games on Sunday.
