3 things to know about Raiders’ foe: Steelers carry QB questions
The Raiders (2-3) have plenty to be concerned about within their own organization. But their opponent this week should provide them with several additional problems as well.
The Steelers (3-2) will bring their fearsome defense to Allegiant Stadium on Sunday as well as their passionate fans. Their offense also has several weapons that should allow them to attack the Raiders in a variety of ways.
Here are three things to know about Pittsburgh:
1. Picture of stability
The Raiders seem to churn through coaches and front-office leaders like a family of eight goes through gallons of milk. Antonio Pierce is already the team’s third full-time coach since it moved to Las Vegas in 2020.
The Steelers, on the other hand, prefer a more patient approach. Mike Tomlin has been the coach since 2007. Just two other men have held that position in Pittsburgh since 1969. That stability has allowed the Steelers to be consistently competitive that entire time.
Tomlin is 176-102-2 with the Steelers and has never had a losing season. He’s well-respected around the NFL and helped lead Pittsburgh to victory in Super Bowl 43.
“When I was playing, he was coaching,” Pierce said. “And he’s been winning. He just wins. He wins. I know we always judge him on championships, but each and every year to have a winning season, to get a team ready to play their style of play, their identity, right? You know what Steeler football looks like. That’s hats off to him.”
2. Familiar faces at QB
Justin Fields has done an admirable job as the Steelers’ starting quarterback through five weeks with Russell Wilson battling a calf injury.
Wilson is getting healthier, however. That could leave Pittsburgh with a decision to make.
The Raiders should be familiar with both quarterbacks no matter which direction the Steelers go. They faced Wilson three times the previous two seasons when he was the Broncos starter and went 3-0 against him. Fields played under Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy the last two years in Chicago.
The team’s defensive coaches have picked Getsy’s brain this week as they prepare their game plan.
“He is an incredible guy,” Getsy said of Fields. “I mean, just an incredible competitor, great teammate. I can only imagine that those guys love playing for him.”
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said the team is preparing for both Fields and Wilson.
“It’s our job to be prepared for all scenarios,” Graham said. “But that’s really not different from any week. To the extent maybe (it’s different), but us as a coaching staff, we’ve got to know what could happen. It’s a collision sport. We’ve got to make sure we know what could happen if one of the quarterbacks go down. So, we’ve got to be responsible and make sure we cover all bases right there.”
3. Dominant defender
The Raiders offense will have to be constantly aware of where edge rusher T.J. Watt is on the field. The 2021 defensive player of the year is one of the NFL’s most disruptive players.
“I have the ultimate respect for him,” Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby said. “He’s a hell of a player.”
Ordinarily, the Raiders offensive line would prepare for a challenge like Watt by going up against Crosby in practice. But the 27-year-old hasn’t been able to get on the field much the last three weeks while dealing with a high-ankle sprain.
Watt is a difficult opponent no matter how ready a team feels to face him. He has at least one sack in four of the Steelers’ five games this season and recently became the second-fastest player in NFL history to record his 100th sack. He is also the only player who has led the league in sacks three times since they became an official statistic in 1982.
Watt isn’t the only difficult Pittsburgh player to block, either.
He’s one of two defensive linemen in the NFL that have earned an 80 grade as both a run defender and a pass rusher by the website Pro Football Focus. The other is his teammate Cameron Heyward.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.