With the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers facing each other this weekend, Steelers Wire managing editor Curt Popejoy and I got together to find out more about each team’s opponent.
Since the Cardinals only face the Steelers once every four seasons, there is a lot to learn.
Here is what he told me.
No Ben Roethlisberger, no AB, no Le’Veon Bell. How have the Steelers managed to turn around an 0-3 start to a 7-5 record?
First and foremost it has been the job head coach Mike Tomlin has done. He’s rallied this team around a bunch of backups and convinced them they can win. But the improvements on defense can’t be understated. From the moment the team traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick this unit has gotten steadily better.
What sort of player is QB Devlin “Duck” Hodges?
Hodges is a confident guy who plays with a lot of energy. In terms of physical tools, he throws a really pretty deep ball and is fairly athletic. The key for him is his ability to move around the pocket and extend plays. That’s something Mason Rudolph couldn’t do. Best of all, he has the confidence of his teammates and they play hard for him.
With no James Conner and no JuJu Smith-Schuster, who will step up for the Steelers on offense?
It’ll be the same two guys we’ve seen the last two weeks. At running back it will be Benny Snell Jr. who is a lot like Conner in terms of rushing style. He’s a downhill guy who always wants one more yard. As for wide receiver, Hodges and James Washington seem to have found some real chemistry and he’s the de facto No. 1 receiver right now.
What matchups are you most excited to see? Which are you most worried about?
In terms of worries, I wonder who is going to block Chandler Jones. It looks like the Cardinals move him around and the Steelers tackles have struggled with elite edge rushers. I am also wondering how Pittsburgh’s cornerbacks will deal with the speed Arizona has on offense at wide receiver. As far as what I’m excited to see, every week watching T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree rush the passer is fun. The Cardinals give up a lot of sacks and these guys are a great combo.
Who are the impact players on the Steelers defense?
Well you have to go back to the linebackers Dupree and Watt. Watt is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. And safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and his ability to create turnovers. But you don’t hear enough about just how good starting cornerbacks Joe Haden and Steven Nelson have been.
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