By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire
JACKSONVILLE – If you have watched the Jaguars in recent weeks, you can see how the team has begun to incorporate a grind-it-out, don’t break style. The offense has grinded it out, and the defense has followed with a don’t break style.
The offense had made use of Travis Etienne in the first half and had incorporated an effective short passing game behind Evan Engram and Christian Kirk as its primary targets.
We haven’t seen an anticipated high scoring offensive attack behind Trevor Lawrence and playmaking wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who is third on the team with 27 receptions (48 targets) for 13.6 average with two touchdowns behind Engram (41 catches) and Kirk (39).
The Jags haven’t needed the homerun and flair from Ridley, but instead they incorporated a steadier style. As a result, they’re back on top of the AFC South with a 5-2 mark.
They will go into Pittsburgh Sunday, and face a team that nearly is a mirror image of themselves, yet the Jags are a notch higher. You can begin that with Lawrence over Steeler signal caller Kenny Pickett, who basically is still working through the tailend of his rookie year.
Leading receiver George Pickens (50 catches) forms a triumvirate with Allen Robinson II and Calvin Austin that looks similar to the Jags. Running back Jaylen Warren has been effective out of the backfield catching passes.
Najee Harris is the lead running back, and he averages 50 yards a game. Still, Harris is a threat
T.J. Watt is the catalyst of the defense with his eight sacks. It is a unit that has been developing into the typical Steelers’ punishing unit of the past, as they have recorded 19 sacks overall, tied for seventh in the league. Safety Mikah Fitzpatrick has been their tackling machine.
Lawrence has been sacked 16 times this season, and protecting him from Watt and his crew has been near the top of the Jag’s offensive priorities.
These Steelers have been among the league’s surprises, as the young club has an overall 4-2 record. At this point, head coach Mike Tomlin is on track to win eight or more games for his 17th straight season.
Still, their secondary does have some questions despite their eighth overall ranking, and Pickett has one of the lower end of Pro Football Focus’s passing ratings. Their pass offense is ranked 25th,throwing for 192 a game, and their rushing offense is ranked 28, accounting for 81 yards per game.
As a contrast, the Jags’ pass offense is 14th (229 per game), and their run offense is 13th (113).
When you look at the big picture, you would think the 5-2 Jags should be a relatively heavy favorite here. Instead, they are a three-point one.
To their credit, Pittsburgh has emerged as one of the league’s surprises in recent weeks with a 4-2 record, knocking off visiting Baltimore in a 17-10 tussle and scoring 21 second-half points for a 24-21 comeback victory in Los Angeles against the Rams.
It is supposed to be a rainy, 60-degree day in Pittsburgh Sunday, and that could present a problem for the Jags. They will have to rely on Etienne and others to control the ball.
The Jags have a bye week ahead, and they should be sitting pretty with a 6-2 record.
This will be a test against the Steelers, but the Jags should prevail. I see a seven-point game.
This likely will be a physical, grind-it-out game and likely staying in the 20s, but it is the new kind of ball the Jags have embraced.
