Nick Farabaugh of Pittsburgh Sports Now and ProFootballNetwork was kind enough to answer some questions for me for Titans-Steelers. I hope you all enjoy!
1. Two undefeated teams, competing early on in the year for the top seed in the AFC. I know it’s too early to talk about the playoffs, but games like these can get your blood pumping. How special are these sort of games to you as a true football fan?
Nick: So, relatively speaking I think these are the types of games we as football fans really dream for honestly. You watch both of these teams on film and everything they do is beautiful stuff. It is peak modern football, and more importantly, the schemes are awesome. But even more so, you get to see some of the most special talents that are in our game today. So, I absolutely think there is a special feeling to these games as it is the league’s best and we get to see consistent excellence among some of the best players in the world.
Tre: Yeah same feelings of anticipation here on my end as well. Football games between two teams like these are to die for, so I really hope the hype delivers and we can enjoy an amazing game of football.
2. Let’s talk about the actual game now. What makes the trio of TJ Watt, Bud Dupree, and Cameron Heyward so special? We hear about and see their dominant play each time the Steelers play, but is there anything specific that makes those 3 players so scary for opposing offenses?
Nick: Well let’s talk a little bit about these three guys. For one I think you look at Watt and Dupree in very special physical tools. As far as Cam Heyward goes, this is a guy with maybe some of the best strength in the NFL today. His bull rush is deadly and even at 30 plus years old this is a guy that is really pumping it’s still. He’s an elite defensive lineman. As far as what makes them so special as a unit it’s just that they take so much pressure off each other so you cannot double-team these guys. They are a special Trio that requires so much attention and you cannot do that as an offensive line. The best you can do is try to chip them with running backs and tight ends but it’s a special Trio that helps each other.
Tre: That’s the thing, it’s crazy how long Heyward has been completely dominating the league. To add another little point, he’s done this without getting the necessary amount of praise from fans, media, and even some of his peers that still play in the league today. It’s good to see that Heyward is getting the respect he deserves now though, because a player of his caliber deserves praise from every last football fan on this earth.
Great team defense here. Fantastic job by Joe Haden to come down and set the edge. Cam Heyward destroys the TE, makes the tackle. Haden gets an assist here. pic.twitter.com/wF29ONQdvE
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 21, 2020
3. Devin Bush being lost for the season is obviously a big loss for that Steelers defense. What will the Steelers miss most about him, and who can we expect to fill in for Bush moving forward?
Nick: So Bush losing his 2020 season is a huge blow. First off I think the biggest mess with him is the covered ability up the scene. I just think that you look at Devin Bush and you try to fill his role and you just lose so much athleticism. You know Robert Spillane filled in well last week and I really was impressed with him but he’s just not the same athlete as Bush. The Steelers have a few other guys I can fill in their Ulysses Gilbert III and Marcus Allen can fill in there but it’s just not the same as Bush. Bush has a special skill set and you’re going to miss his ability to cover and his sideline-to-sideline range.
Tre: No doubt about that regarding Bush and his unique skillset. The Robert Spillane situation is an intriguing one, since I imagine him as a guy who can really help out with your run defense. Not so much of a good cover guy, but maybe more of an old school thumper that can rock any player he lays his eyes on.
The Steelers aren't going to replace Devin Bush and that's ok. He's a special talent for this team.
Spillane is part of the equation to filling some bit of his shoes, though. But he's not the one for one answer. UG3 or Allen have to step up or they need to make a trade to help.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 22, 2020
4. The Steelers’ defense has been the big talking point for Mike Tomlin’s team this year, and rightfully so. But so many people are missing out on Ben Roethlisberger and the exceptional play he’s put out this year. What has he done to get off to such a hot start this year?
Nick: So when I look at Ben Roethlisberger, this year he’s more of a point guard. And that’s important because he’s making good decisions, not turning the ball over, and he’s an efficient quarterback. You know he gets the ball out the fastest in the NFL. And the Deep ball is coming along well. He’s starting to hit that with more consistency. Ben just looks comfortable, his new motion looks smooth, he’s reading defense well, and staying away from turnovers. It is really just the all-around skill-set that he has changed to, and it has caused his game to age gracefully.
Tre: Having all that talent at wide receiver has really helped Roethlisberger as well. Chase Claypool, Juju Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, James Washington, there’s just so many guys with talent that Ben can just trust to make big plays. It’s made that aging period a little easier to adapt to, and is surely making Mike Tomlin happy.
5. Chase Claypool has emerged as a legit Rookie of The Year candidate. What traits in his game have helped him get off to this unexpected start?
Nick: Well I think the real key thing with him has been his work at the line. It’s his releases, his footwork, and his hand fighting off the line against cornerbacks that try to get physical with him has really allowed his game to go to the next level. Obviously, there’s the size and speed as well as the great ball skills and body control. He still has that from college. But it has been that work at the line of scrimmage that is really taking it to the next level. His route running is still, but he’s expanding his route tree every week. Still, it has been his speed, his size, his ball skills, and his work at the line that have made him great.
Tre: I remember seeing some things pre-draft about Claypool, saying that he could be turned into a tight end at the next level. It was a reasonable take at the time, but it looks so stupid now. All the traits you mentioned above, just aren’t traits you see a rookie wide receiver improve so quickly in such a short amount of time. I guess it really speaks volumes about the Steelers and their unbelievable knack for developing young, talented wideouts.
Chase Claypool is a stud.
✅ 19.7 yards per reception (2nd in NFL)
✅ 3.49 Yards per route run (1st in NFL)
✅ 6 TDs (2nd in NFL) pic.twitter.com/1z05zqpGDd
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 21, 2020
6. Are you confident in the Steelers’ ability to keep the Titans’ pass catchers in check?
Nick: I am not completely confident in that. The reason being the Steelers have had a lot of secondary miscommunications. Even more importantly they blitz heavily, which leaves these cornerbacks on a vulnerable Island. Tennessee can attack this with their play action game especially if the Steelers are focused on Derrick Henry in the run game. AJ Brown in particular scares me. However, these tight ends are a problem. Without Devin Bush the seam is vulnerable and Tennessee has good tight ends like Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser to exploit that hole. It would not shock me if the Steelers were able to hold them in check but I am not confident that they will be able to.
Tre: See, that’s another point of discussion, the Steelers and their love of blitzing. Good things happen when you blitz, but like you said, it can expose some holes in your secondary. I think AJ Brown and Corey Davis are the easy choices to have big games here. But with Mike Hilton out, I think Adam Humphries has a shot at having a good game as well.
7. It’s no secret that the Titans love to run play action. Do the Steelers have the personnel to force the Titans into more of a drop back passing game and set up more 1v1 pass rush opportunities?
Nick: It’s the Steelers pass rush that’s going to be key in this game. More importantly, their four-man pass rush. Keith Butler loves to scheme up blitzes that give these great pass-rushers 1-on-1 matchups, so I do believe they will be able to get that. However, I don’t believe they will be able to defend the play-action all game. Simply because this Titans team is so good at it and Derrick Henry is such a threat. Then you have the basic matchup of can the Steelers pass rush get home. If they can get home and these corners get a little physical I can definitely see them forcing Tannehill into drop back situations in certain situations in this game.
Tre: If I were a betting man, I’d bet on this Titans team avoiding as many traditional drop back passing situations as they can. Taylor Lewan is out, and Ty Sambrailo is going to fill in for him, which could leave this Titans passing game vulnerable from a pass protection standpoint. If Tannehill is forced out of the play action game on 2nd and 3rd down, then things could get a little dicey for this Titans offense.
Steelers gameplan vs Tennessee should look similar to last week’s plan against the Browns. Play a lot of 2-High looks so you don’t get crushed by chunk plays on the Titans PA. Most importantly, get off the field on 3rd downs. Stout 3rd down defense will he essential.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 22, 2020
8. This is a question I can’t get through this preview without asking. What do you think the Steelers should do to limit the damage Derrick Henry can do in the run game?
Nick: I’m going to be completely honest with you. I really think the Steelers just play back. Honestly, I’m more scared of Tannehill than I am of Henry. Henry is great and you can’t let him just smash up your defense. But the Steelers have great run defenders up front. So what can I do they can send some blitzes and more importantly I just think really needing to hold a stout line up front with guys like Stephon Tuitt, Cam Heyward, TJ Watt, and Bud Dupree. The Steelers love to do some stunts and slanting to get some guys open in the running game. I think they’ll do the same against Henry and most importantly they just need to swallow him up before he gets to the second level and in the secondary. I think they can do a nice job of that with those stunts and holding strong edges.
Tre: It’ll be fascinating to watch how the Steelers try to contain Derrick Henry. What you said holds a lot of weight though regarding the Steelers’ potential approach to this game. Roger Saffold, Ben Jones, and Nate Davis have all played really well this year, but they’re still prone to committing some mistakes from time to time. That’s where Cameron Heyward and those linebackers can really live in terms of stopping the run.
I’m much more worried about the Steelers defense against Tannehill and the passing game rather than them against Derrick Henry. The Titans passing game presents many more issues. The DBs need help this week. Sending the heat like they have in the past will get them burned.
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) October 23, 2020
9. Give me 2 X-Factors for Sunday’s game.
Nick: The first X Factor is the man himself Robert Spillane. I think you got to see how this guy holds up in coverage. We know he can come down hill make big hits, he has good instincts, but we don’t know a lot about his coverage ability. So you know if he’s able to hold up there against the tight ends really cover that seam well I think the Steelers are going to have a lot more success defensively. On the other side of the football think you got to look at the secondary of the Titans. You know these guys have struggled thus far in the year. The Steelers have an incredibly deep receiving corps and I think if you see the Steelers receiving corps just going off even in a shootout I think the Steelers are probably more favored there with the much better defense. So it’s going to be that secondary vs receivers matchup and if Tennessee can slow them down to make a few key stops down the stretch.
Tre: Spillane might be every Steelers fan’s x-factor for Sunday, and for good reason. As for me, I’ll roll with Adam Humphries on offense for reasons I explained earlier. I don’t think Cameron Sutton can keep up with him 1v1 throughout the whole game, so that’s a matchup I think the Titans can exploit. As for the defensive side of the ball, I’ll go with Jeffery Simmons. Him providing an interior presence as both a pass rusher and a run defender will be key, since the Titans don’t get a lot of production from their edge rushers. He’s also played some really good football this year, and has been at his best when he’s completely overwhelmed opposing offensive linemen with his strength. The Steelers’ offensive line is no joke though, so any success of his won’t come easy.
10. Final question. Which team will be the lone AFC team with an unbeaten record after Sunday’s game?
Nick: I think it could go either way. However, I really like the Steelers offense against this Titans defense. I know there are a lot of matchup problems with this Titans offense. Bur, I really trust the Steelers defense to make more stops and maybe you can get a turnover. I think you’re going to see a high-scoring game that’s going to be really close and down to the wire. You may see this game come down to who has the football last. My prediction will be the Steelers 35 Titans 31 in a really close game. I just think the Steelers defense will make a few more plays and the Titans defense will not be able to slow down the Steelers offense.
Tre: Anyone who thinks this game will be low scoring hasn’t paid attention to the times, and the developments of these two teams. I’ll piggyback off your pick, and go with a high scoring game as well. I’ll take the Steelers in a close game, 32-30.