NFL
NFL Week 5: Atlanta Falcons vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Entering Week 5, both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons are in danger of watching their seasons slip away. Last week saw the Pittsburgh Steelers lose at home to the division rival Baltimore Ravens, leaving them with a 1-2-1 record. The Atlanta Falcons also suffered a heartbreaking loss, giving up a last-second touchdown to fall to 1-3-0. While both Pittsburgh and Atlanta’s offenses have put up points, their defenses have been far from spectacular, ranking in the bottom third of the league in both yards and points allowed. With both teams needing a win this week to salvage a brutal start, only one can walk away on top.
Injury Report
Pittsburgh Steelers:
Pittsburgh opens this week with a few notable injuries. Starting inside linebacker Vince Williams, who left Sunday’s game vs Baltimore with a hamstring injury, did not practice. Although there is still a degree of optimism that he will play, the possibility of Williams missing is huge for an ailing Steelers defense, as he has been one of the few bright spots. Special teams ace Darrius Heyward-Bey has also missed practiced this week with an ankle injury, leaving the team without one of their veteran leaders.
Two players that seem to be coming back from injuries are cornerback Mike Hilton and safety Morgan Burnett. Both Hilton and Burnett missed last weeks game against the Ravens, so having them practicing is huge news for a secondary that could really use the help.
Atlanta Falcons:
Atlanta had some key players miss their opening practice this week, with one player already ruled out against Pittsburgh. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was ruled out for Sunday’s game with an ankle/knee injury. This will put a big hole in the middle of a Falcons defense that has had its share of issues. Another big name that did not practice was wide receiver Julio Jones, who sat out with hand/ankle injuries listed.
Two players to keep an eye on this week are outside linebacker Vic Beasley and running back Tevin Coleman. Both players were limited this week with ankle injuries. Atlanta got some good news with running back Devonta Freeman practicing on a limited basis, giving Freeman his first football action since his injury in Week 1 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Key Matchups
Matt Ryan vs Pittsburgh’s Secondary
In a matchup heavily favored for quarterback Matt Ryan, can Pittsburgh’s secondary step up and provide some resistance? Ryan has passed for 1,316 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, ranking in the top six among quarterbacks so far. Pittsburgh’s secondary has been abysmal, allowing 304.8 passing yards per game and 29 points per game. The Steelers’ dreadful defensive performances have left them at the back end in league rankings. Pittsburgh will benefit from two starters returning from injuries, though, that may help their defensive struggles.
Similar to the above matchup, Ben Roethlisberger will look to bounce back from a lackluster performance against this Falcons defense. Although Roethlisberger had a below-average game last week, he has been shredding defenses all year. The Steelers quarterback has passed for 1,414 yards this season, ranking him first in the NFL. Much like Pittsburgh, Atlanta’s defense has been atrocious this season. They’ve given up an average of 403 yards and 30.5 points per game. Look for Roethlisberger to get back on track against a subpar defensive unit.
Fantasy Implications
This game should be loaded with potential fantasy superstars as both defenses have struggled all season. Look for the Steelers’ trifecta of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and JuJu Smith-Schuster to light it up and torch a bottom-of-the-barrel defense. The same can be said for Atlanta, as their high powered offense of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and breakout sensation Calvin Ridley will certainly rack up big performances against one of the worst passing defenses in the league. A few sleepers in this game will be tight ends Vance McDonald and Austin Hooper. Both have been quietly improving each week and consistently adding targets. With most of the attention focused on the outside threats, these tight ends could have the middle of the field wide open.
Prediction
This game has shootout written all over it, as both offenses look set for huge weeks. With the Steelers and Falcons desperate for a win, it will be the defenses that decide the victor of this game. While all of Atlanta’s losses have been close, this team continues to lose key guys on defense, only making them harder to pick. The Pittsburgh Steelers will add two more members back to their secondary, which should give them just what they need to pick up a huge home win to get back on the right track. I believe the Steelers will pull this one out, winning 31-24 — but not without a few big turnovers.
Date: Sunday, October 7th, 2018
Time: 1:00 pm Eastern
Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Team Records:
Pittsburgh Steelers 1-2-1
Atlanta Falcons 1-3-0
Photo Credit: Steeltownusa.com via Flickr
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