Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Bold predictions for Week 7 vs. Titans
By Samuel Teets
2. Pittsburgh Steelers sack Tannehill six times
Despite already having their bye week, the Steelers lead the NFL with 24 sacks. Quarterbacks that faced Pittsburgh so far have attempted 171 passes. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers sit in second with 22 sacks. However, it took Baltimore 232 pass attempts and Tampa Bay 214 to reach their sack totals. For reference, if teams attempted 232 passes against Pittsburgh, the Steelers would already have 32 sacks.
Pittsburgh is sacking quarterbacks roughly once for every seven pass attempts. The team returned its lowest sack total this season with four against the Browns. While the Steelers want a big outing against Tennessee, Tannehill has only taken five sacks this season. It’s going to be shocking when he meets Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt.
1. Claypool continues hot streak
The Titans allow the fifth-most passing yards per game (272.8), meaning Ben Roethlisberger and Chase Claypool should have some significant opportunities. Roethlisberger isn’t airing the ball out much this season. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t need to in Pittsburgh’s system. Maybe the 38-year-old no longer feels comfortable making those throws seven or eight times per game. Either way, the deep strike should be open against Tennessee.
Despite being a rookie, Claypool is quickly developing into Pittsburgh’s premier receiving threat. With JuJu Smith-Schuster struggling to establish himself as a No. 1 option and Diontae Johnson missing some time with injuries, Claypool is filling the production void left by Antonio Brown. The 22-year-old Notre Dame product has 335 yards and six total touchdowns in five games.
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At 6-4, 238 pounds, Claypool possesses size that makes him a mismatch against most defensive backs. The second-round selection also has 4.42-second 40-yard speed, making him a poor matchup for linebackers too. Claypool isn’t as fast as D.K. Metcalf, but he has the same dominant physical traits and enough speed to operate as a threat at all levels.