Steelers need to stick to formula
PITTSBURGH – With three games remaining in the season, the identity of the Pittsburgh Steelers is quite apparent.
They are an offensive-minded team that relies on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown to win games.
The Steelers (8-5) will need to be at their offensive best Sunday when they play at Atlanta (5-8), another high-powered offensive team.
As it was against other potent offenses, the Steelers’ game plan against the Falcons seems obvious – turn the game into a shootout and hope your defense can make a play or two to stop the opponent.
“We go in it with a mentality that we need to win situational football and we need to take care of the football. If we do that, then we’ll show our capabilities. We’ll ring the scoreboard up,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “We’ll put together winning performances. When we haven’t played well this year offensively it’s been because we’ve stalled in the red area and/or we’ve turned the ball over.
“So those are things that we’re trying to focus on. We need to be effective in the red area. We need to take care of the football, and if we do that the scoreboard will be our storyteller.”
After a slow start that saw them lose five games in a row to fall to 2-6, the Falcons have rebounded to win three of five and are tied with New Orleans for first place in the NFC South.
“They have produced turnovers,” Tomlin said. “I think that is a significant change in their fortune of late. They are producing turnovers in bunches, two-to-three a game over the course of that five-game stretch.”
The Steelers’ fortunes have been just as tied to turnovers.
In a 42-21 victory Sunday at Cincinnati, the Steelers held a 2-0 advantage in the turnover battle, including a key fumble recovery by linebacker Arthur Moats that set up the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
“That’s when we work the best, when our offense compliments our defense and vice versa,” said Moats. “We’re creating turnovers and the offense scores on them.”
When the Steelers are equal to or have fewer turnovers than their opponent, they have a 7-2 record. When they commit more turnovers than the opponent, they are 1-3.
“When you’re turning the ball over, you’re hurting your chances of winning,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said on his weekly radio interview on KDKA-FM.
Despite its sub-.500 record, Atlanta is plus-five in turnover ratio. The Falcons have forced 24 turnovers, tied for the fourth most in the league.
“They take care of the football, and as of late they have gotten the football,” Tomlin said. “I think that’s a recipe for winning. It has been for them. Obviously, there is our challenge. We have to do a great job of taking care of the football. We can’t allow them to produce the type of splash they have made over the last month that has changed the fortune of their team.”
Tomlin said the status of linebacker James Harrison (knee) and right tackle Marcus Gilbert (ankle), both of whom sat out against the Bengals, and cornerback Ike Taylor (shoulder, forearm), who was benched against Cincinnati, will be determined later in the week. … Tomlin said he’s not concerned that the Steelers have lost three times to teams with losing records. “No, I really think the significant element of the storyline is that we’re faced with another road game versus a division leader and it’s a significant (game) for both teams.”