Jets-Steelers Preview: Gang Green Travels To Heinz Field For Santonio Holmes' Homecoming

by Matt Birch on Dec 18, 2010 12:19 AM EST

New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Sunday, Dec. 19, 4:15 p.m., EST

Location: Heinz Field: Pittsburgh, Pa.

TV Coverage: CBS

StatLine: Jets are 0-7 in franchise history playing against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

StatLine (II): The two teams have combined for 13 consecutive quarters without an offensive touchdown.

StatLine (III): According to NYDN's Manish Mehta, Steelers are holding opponents to 49 percent below their season rush averages.

Between The Numbers: Two Stout Run Defenses

Steelers rank No.1 against the rush and are giving up only 60.1 yards per game.
Jets rank No.3 against the rush and are giving up 88.5 yards per game.

New York Jets X-Factor: WR Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes returns to Pittsburgh to face his former team with whom he made one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history just two seasons ago. The Steelers were upset with Holmes after some off-the-field issues, and, in a cloud of smoke, they sent the big-play wide receiver to the great state of New Jersey for a fifth-round pick.

When the Jets have needed big plays on offense this year, Holmes has been Sanchez' go-to guy. He went through a stretch just a month ago where he came up with back-to-back walk-off touchdowns to lead the Jets to victory against Cleveland and Houston.

The Steelers run defense is phenomenal, and the way to beat them is to attack their secondary. It's safe to say Holmes will be motivated to stick it to his former team, and he will need to come up big if the Jets expect to win. He leads the Jets with 68.9 receiving yards per game and can expect plenty of targets on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers X-Factor: WR Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace averages 20.6 yards per catch and is the sole game-changer on Pittsburgh's offensive unit. He does it with his lightning-quick speed.

With Jets' superstar CB Darrelle Revis suddenly having hamstring issues, this will be the match-up to watch on Sunday afternoon. Mike Wallace has lightning quick-speed and is the main game-changer on Pittsburgh's offensive unit.

QB Ben Roethlisberger may be great at extending the play, and WR Hines Ward is a solid possession receiver; but Wallace is their main vertical threat who can burn you for a touchdown in a matter of seconds.

The Jets have been stout against the run all season and I think they can keep RB Rashard Mendenhall at bay. A lot of how the Jets fare on defense will hinge on defending Wallace and keeping Pittsburgh out of the end zone.

You Must Make Adjustments, Schotty

Jets were completely predictable on offense in Sunday's game Vs. Miami as OC Brian Schottenheimer continues to disappoint with his playcalling. If they do that against the best defensive front in the NFL, they will be looking at a lot of "3rd and longs," and things can get ugly if they find themselves in strictly "passing" downs.

According to NYDN's Manish Mehta, Jets ran 62 percent of the time on first down last week and only averaged 2.5 yards per play on said downs. As a result, they averaged 9.2 yards to go on third down.

Against the Dolphins, TE Dustin Keller and WR Jerricho Cotchery combined for 24 targets (of Sanchez's 44 pass attempts), while Edwards saw only two passes thrown his way. Cotchery leads the Jets in drops this year, and Keller's production has dropped; we would like to see Holmes see the brunt of the targets this week playing against his former team.

Oh, and can we do something on first down besides running L.T. inside the tackles?

Bottom Line:

I think Pitt will be able to stop our running game which has really diminished in the second half of the season. As a result, the pressure will be put back on QB Mark Sanchez and the Jets may become a bit one-dimensional. The only way to move the football against the Steelers' vaunted defense is to attack the secondary. In their three losses this season, they've given up 350, 288 and 250 passing yards in said games.

The Jets' offensive line has struggled of late and allowed Sanchez to be sacked six times last week. Expect Pitt to bring a lot of pressure on Sunday. Sanchez will have the make smart decisions with the football and limit his turnovers, or this game could get ugly. This matchup will be won or lost with his play.

Jets have scored zero touchdowns in their last two games, and now must face mastermind DC Dick LeBeau and one of the top three defenses in the NFL. I just don't see it getting any easier for them.

The Steelers, outside of WR Mike Wallace don't scare me on offense; but this defense is good enough to win games by itself. The absence of S Troy Polamalu helps, but Jets' struggles on offense likely won't improve in one week, and the team that has looked suspect in cold weather will continue to in one of the toughest road environments in the NFL.

Steelers 20, Jets 16

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Comments

Jets need this

and they are due for a good showing against an above .500 team. I say 16-10, Big Ben struggles all day and without Pomalalou raising hell the offense has a good game. Plus Holmes has something to prove.

"Dom – for the love of all things Islander – STOP COMMUNITY PROJECTING!." - mikb
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.

by Mark D on Dec 18, 2010 2:24 AM EST reply actions

Jets arent the only team playing in this game..

…that are having trouble scoring TDs. Steelers have only thrown for 1 TD in last 3 games, and only ran for 1TD in those three games. Two of those three games were against a couple of the NFL’s worst teams, the Bills and Bengals. Will the Jets win? I dunno but the Steelers aren’t a team that doesn’t have some flaws too.

Should you choose to test my resolve in this matter, you will be facing a finality beyond your comprehension, and you will not be counting days, or months, or years, but milleniums in a place with no doors.

by YankeesJets on Dec 18, 2010 3:07 AM EST reply actions

giving the Jets a touchdown is pretty generous

let’s hope they find their way into the end zone more than once.

by PowerBar on Dec 18, 2010 8:24 AM EST reply actions

"As a result, they averaged 9.2 yards to go on third down."

If that doesn’t tell the whole story, I don’t know what does

by HotChipWillBreakYourLegs on Dec 18, 2010 10:04 AM EST reply actions

Let's win with more FG, haha.

Darrelle Revis once won a game of Connect Four in three moves.

by bm01bath on Dec 18, 2010 11:11 AM EST reply actions

good stuff matt.

I agree we have to be more pass happy this game, but I hope we don’t abandon the run altogether. I really don’t want that defense pinning their ears back and getting after sanchez without worrying about getting gashed by the run game. Hopefully we can attack the edges with the run game and mix in some 2nd down draws and screens. This is a good game to make use of McKnight. He would be a good weapon to use to spread out their defense. He can to the edge the quickest, and he would a great threat as a pass catcher. Let’s get those backers worried about dealing with the prospect of chasing down the kid in space. Hit him in the flat, motion him into the slot… Let’s make use of this kid’s talent.

Also might be better to stick cro on wallace. Have him play aggressively but give him safety help. Stick revis on hines. I don’t like the idea of cro matched up with hines’ physicality; he won’t out-muscle revis. And I don’t like the idea of a hammed revis matched up on wallace.

by Crackback on Dec 18, 2010 11:30 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Steeler Fan Here...

Looking forward to the game, expecting the Jets to come out strong after a few weak performances and take the fight to us. Should be a defensive battle throughout the game, and I think it’ll be decided on a key turnover or two in the closing minutes.

13-10, Steelers is my prediction.

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." Jack Lambert.

"The Steelers drafted guys who were bigger, stronger and faster than I, but they never found one who could take my job away from me." Jack Lambert

"Chuck and I hit it off the first day we met. We had an argument." Art Rooney.

by 17PittsburghPride53 on Dec 18, 2010 12:39 PM EST reply actions

Steelers fan....

thanks for taking the time to go on an opposing site. I think your outcome is pretty close to the mark. The Jets will come out a bit more fired up than in the last couple of week, and while our safety situation is lacking, you’ll be without TP.

Heinz field is less than forgiving to opposing teams, as witnessed by the Jets 0-7 record there. The Jets really need this one, but I can’t see it happening.

BTW, I’m getting flashbacks of Lambert’s toothless scowls at opponents and his own teammates.

by oldskooljet on Dec 18, 2010 4:54 PM EST reply actions