It’s almost time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to square off with the Los Angeles Rams. The Steelers have won three in a row, and the Rams are coming off their bye week. This game promises to be a great one. We reached out to our friends over at Rams Wire to get the inside scoop on this week’s opponent.
1. Is the lack of rushing yards by the Rams by design, or is the run game struggling?
It’s a little bit of both. The run game is struggling because the running backs haven’t gotten many opportunities, but they also haven’t gotten many chances because they’re struggling. The Rams are clearly trying to manage Todd Gurley’s workload, and it has hurt the balance of the offense. Jared Goff is throwing the ball more than he should, and Los Angeles isn’t creating big plays on the ground.
2. We all know about the big stars on the Rams defense, but who is a guy we don’t know but should?
Troy Hill has replaced Aqib Talib as one of the starting cornerbacks, and believe it or not, but he’s been an upgrade. He’s played well outside, allowing just three catches on 11 targets against the Bengals two weeks ago. With him and Jalen Ramsey locking down outside receivers, the Rams secondary is in good shape. Nickell Robey-Coleman is a good nickel cornerback, too.
3. Cooper Kupp has been huge for the Rams this season. Is there any defending him, or do you just hope the rest of the team doesn’t beat you?
You can definitely defend him, but it’ll take man coverage to do so. He’s so good at finding holes in zone coverages and knows how to get sit down between the linebackers and safeties, which leads to big plays over the middle. The best course of action is to play man on him in the slot with outside leverage and shade linebacker help his way. He’s not the fastest receiver in the world, but he can create big plays after the catch if given space.
4. Which positional unit on Los Angeles are you most concerned with this week?
The offensive line, for sure. It’s been the weakest part of the team all season, and with the Steelers’ pass rush up next, it’s a major concern for the Rams. T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree present significant challenges for Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein at tackle, and it’s a matchup the Steelers will probably have some success with.
5. Give us a prediction.
With James Conner out, I think the Rams have a really good chance to win this game. They’re fresh off their bye, healthy on both sides of the ball and finding a rhythm on offense. Pittsburgh’s defense is still something the Rams should be wary about, but Los Angeles should win on Sunday. Rams 27, Steelers 20
