Washington Football Team vs. Steelers Week 13 preview
By Ian Cummings
Washington Football Team offense vs. Pittsburgh defense
It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is one of the best, if not the best defensive unit in the NFL, and the advanced stats back up that preconception. Pittsburgh is No. 1 in defensive DVOA thus far, ahead of other top-five defenses like New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Washington.
The Washington Football Team’s offense has undergone considerable development since the start of the year; Antonio Gibson is a much more potent threat, Terry McLaurin is knocking on the door to 1,000 yards, and other players like Logan Thomas, Cam Sims, and J.D. McKissic have emerged as supplementary playmakers. But is the offense at a point where it can compete with the best defense in the league? That remains to be seen.
Pittsburgh was dealt a big loss this past week, as edge rusher Bud Dupree was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. But the Steelers have filled these kinds of gaps well this season. Robert Spillane has performed admirably as the next-man-up for Devin Bush, and Tyson Alualu, signed before the season to replace Javon Hargrave, has also played well.
Washington will still have to worry about third-round pick Alex Highsmith, who has good explosiveness and drive, and across from him, T.J. Watt is still a one-man wrecking crew with 11.0 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in eleven games. Morgan Moses will have his hands full, assuming he can go after suffering an injury last week.
If the Washington Football Team can at least somewhat contain Watt, then that could be an avenue toward some modest offensive success. But even then, formidable threats exist in Pittsburgh’s secondary, from Minkah Fitzpatrick to Joe Haden, even to the upstart Terrell Edmunds, who’s starting to find his way this season. Odds are Washington will run into some degree of trouble, no matter how well they prepare.