5. The Steelers shut down Michael Thomas
The Steelers defense has generally been given no credit this season. Even with big names like T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, the defense is overlooked in favor of their offense. It’s a fair assessment but the Steelers defense looked like the real deal against the Patriots last week. The team managed to pick off Tom Brady, broke up multiple passes and sacked Brady.
Going up against the Saints is something completely different. The Saints offense has been dynamic this season excluding the last few games. One of their biggest names on offense is Michael Thomas. Even though Thomas hasn’t had a touchdown since November, he’s still maintained his chemistry with Drew Brees.
Considering how well the Steelers defense played last week, I predict they will shut down Thomas. Most notably, his touchdown drought will continue and the team will hold him to less than 10 receptions. It’s not going to be easy, but the team was able to shut down Rob Gronkowski last week and that’s not an easy feat either
Right now, the Steelers defense is gaining momentum and they need to take advantage of it. Joe Haden will likely be the one covering Thomas and he had a big game last week. That’s no doubt going to be a matchup worth keeping your eye on.