Bit by hard-fought bit, the Pittsburgh Steelers are ascending the ranks of the AFC North, and now stand above hardened rivals Cincinnati and Cleveland. The Steelers continue to trail the Ravens by a smidgen, but optimism is flourishing in the Steel City entering Week 10 of the regular season, thanks greatly in part to a highly favorable matchup.
The struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs thus far in 2012 are many and well-documented, most notable among them being the difficulty finding a secure starting quarterback to replace the injured Matt Cassel. In the Chiefs’ defense, Cassel is back in healthy condition, but whether or not that proves to be a beneficial asset to the team come Monday night remains to be seen.
Chiefs
Offensive Player to Watch
Matt Cassel, QB
It’s unlikely the Kansas City faithful will welcome Cassel back with open arms (seeing as they cheered as their starting quarterback was carried off the field during Week Five’s matchup against the Ravens).
What remains to be seen is how Cassel will perform in only his third game after returning from that injury. He passed for a meager 181 yards last week against a struggling San Diego defense. This week, he’ll go toe-to-toe against a troupe of Steelers defensive backs on the up and up after a strong performance in Week Nine.
Cassel’s tendency to telegraph passes could play well into the hands of defensive back Ike Taylor, coming off a successful week and an AFC Defensive Player of the Week Award.
It seems as if the wave of popularity Cassel has been riding since his brief takeover in New England following Tom Brady’s short sidelining thanks to injury only a few years ago has finally crashed.
Defensive Player to Watch
Jovan Belcher, LB
Belcher pales in comparison to fellow inside linebacker and Chiefs defensive standout Derrick Johnson, but Jovan’s role in Week 10 will prove crucial to Kansas City’s defensive success.
Steelers rusher Isaac Redman scorched a New York Giants defensive corps that far outranks KC’s in terms of on-paper skill and on the field production. There’s little doubt Mike Tomlin will call Redman’s number multiple times again, meaning much of the responsibility on stopping the Iron City’s rushing attack will fall upon the shoulders of Johnson and Belcher.
With Redman’s tendency to shoot the inside offensive line gaps, Belcher and Johnson will be forced to make the sort of standing, open field tackles the Giants missed last week. Belcher’s ability to cut down Redman before he gets a chance to blast into the secondary could very well prove to be the difference between life and death for the Chiefs in Week 10.
Steelers
Offensive Player to Watch
Isaac Redman, RB
Redman carried 26 times for 147 yards, a season high for the player who was once considered nothing better than Rashard Mendenhall’s backup. At 6 feet, 230 lbs., Redman’s low center of gravity guarantees a tough job for tacklers, especially the weak KC front seven.
Look for Tomlin to continually pound the feeble KC defense with an unrelenting run game, behind now-frontman Redman.
Defensive Player to Watch
Larry Foote, LB
Time-tenured veteran Foote is far from stepping aside and letting the young-gun Steeler defensive up-and-comers take his place. He currently leads the defensive crew with 57 total tackles, 40 of them unassisted.
Furthermore, he’s tied alongside Jason Worilds and Lamarr Woodley for the team lead in sacks with three. His ability to reach Cassel, protected behind a flimsy KC offensive line, before he has a chance to get a pass off could significantly halt any optimistic plans the Chiefs may have of nailing the weaknesses in the Steeler secondary.
The X Factor
Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Before the season had even begun, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger vowed to catapult tight end Heath Miller into the 2013 Pro Bowl. So far, so good.
Miller has nabbed 39 aerials tossed his way this year, six of which turned into touchdowns for the Steelers. Miller’s considerable size makes him a prime check-down target for Roethlisberger in the end zone, not to mention his ability to shiftily weave through linebacker coverage downfield. His mere presence opens up a myriad of holes in the KC defense; holes the Chiefs won’t easily mend in Week 10.
Prediction
Steelers over Chiefs, 31-10
Photo Credits: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
