The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most feared and respected franchises in NFL history. They have appeared in eight Super Bowls with six wins including two since 2005. They are known for the “Steel Curtain,” “The Immaculate Reception,” the “Terrible Towel,” and more. The Steelers have not had a losing record since 2003. No matter the injury situation, how good the other teams in their division are, or how bad of a roster they have, the Steelers win. But that is not always the case in the Jaguars vs Steelers matchup.
The Jaguars are probably best known for being one of the worst franchises in the NFL since 2010. In fact, they have had only two winning seasons since 2010 and one of them was last year. If there has been a franchise known for futility other than the Cleveland Browns, it is the Jacksonville Jaguars. They have exactly zero Super Bowl wins, zero Super Bowl appearances, and have appeared in just three AFC Championship games since the franchise’s inception. No matter how good their roster may seem, how healthy they remain, or how bad the other teams in their division may be, the Jaguars seem to find ways to lose football games.
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With all of that said, the Jaguars are 14-13 in their head-to-head matchup with the Steelers. They are one of four teams including the Patriots, Raiders, and Broncos, that have winning records against the vaunted Steeler franchise. While the history of the franchises could not be more different, the head-to-head record is eerily close.
The Jaguars Will Win Sunday
In years when the Steelers are better, which is almost every year, they still struggle with the Jaguars. This year, the tables have turned. The Jaguars offense is better and is averaging six more points per game than the Steelers. The Jaguars’ defense is playing better and giving up fewer points per game than the Steelers. Even the Jaguars roster is better and filled with more star power and potential than the Steelers. The bottom line is that there is no reason to think that the Jaguars will not leave Pittsburgh with a win this weekend.
The “Mini-Bye”
The Jaguars won four games in just 19 days and at four different stadiums. After winning in New Orleans on Thursday, the team got 10 days off to prepare for this game against the Steelers. On top of that, the following Sunday is a bye week so they will only play one game in the span of 24 days. The Jaguars should be refreshed and ready to leave it all on the field.
The Jaguars Offense Is Finding Its Rhythm
Before the start of the season, many people expected the Jaguars offense to be prodigious. So far they have not exactly lived up to expectations. The play calling is still a little off and the short-yardage offense is almost comical. There are, however, signs that things are turning around. Christian Kirk has reemerged as one of the better slot receivers in the league. Calvin Ridley continues to impress with his potential, but the stats seem to still be lacking. Travis Etienne is only averaging 4.0 yards per carry, but his meaningful production is much greater than that. Even the offensive line is starting to play pretty well together.
The offense begins and ends with how Trevor Lawrence plays. He continues to improve, but there is still something missing from his production. He is accurate, smart, and athletic, but there have just not been enough big plays. Teams can only have so many 13-play drives per game before they need a few 50-yard touchdowns. If Lawrence can make those more common in Jacksonville, this team could score a lot of points in the very near future.
The Jaguars’ Linebackers Are Playing as Well as Any Unit in the NFL
Foye Oluokon and Devin Lloyd are really good. This linebacker duo is playing as well as any other in the league and they are leading this defense. Oluokon is the clear emotional and cerebral leader. He calls the plays and gets people in the right spot before every snap. Oluokon is also one of the surest tacklers in the NFL and led the league in tackles in 2021 and 2022. How he has not been selected to a Pro Bowl yet is more than strange.
Devin Lloyd finally began putting everything together a couple of weeks ago. To his credit, he has been one of the reasons the Jaguars have won their past three games. He always had the athletic ability to be good, but last year he was consistently out of position. Lloyd consistently took bad angles to the ball, over-pursued regularly, and relied too much on his athleticism. Over the past three games, he has played fast and instinctively while also playing within the defense. He is all over the ball and is consistently in the right place at the right time. On top of all of that, he is a great cover linebacker.
The Pass Rush Is Still Bad
If the Jaguars want to compete for the No. 1 overall seed and be serious contenders in the AFC, they have to fix the pass rush. Travon Walker seems to be good against the run, but the team needs more. Walker still seems to make more mistakes and penalties than sacks and pressures. While Josh Allen is playing as well as he ever has, Walker leaves a lot to be desired. The rest of the defense is playing well, but if they cannot fix their pass rush, that may not matter in the postseason. There are some gettable pass rushers out there, the Jaguars just have to pull the trigger.
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Main Photo: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union
