Steelers Get Huge Break Before Brutal Stretch Of Quarterbacks

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an opportunity to build momentum over the next three weeks, and former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger believes the upcoming stretch could give the defense valuable time to get itself together before facing some more challenging quarterback matchups.

Speaking on his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast, the former Steelers quarterback pointed toward Pittsburgh's upcoming schedule as a chance for the team to work through some issues before the competition gets tougher.

"You've got three weeks pretty much that you can kind of get yourself [cohesive]... I mean you've got a while till you got some like legit quarterbacks coming at you," Roethlisberger explained.

Roethlisberger's comments come as Pittsburgh prepares for three consecutive games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns. While none of those matchups should be considered automatic wins, the stretch gives the Steelers a chance to establish consistency before a much more difficult portion of their schedule arrives. 

The Steelers’ Defense Has Time to Build Momentum

The Steelers are coming off a 34-22 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, a result that moved them to 3-2 on the season. Pittsburgh showed signs of improvement in the win, but the defense still has plenty of work to do as the team looks to establish itself as a legitimate contender. The upcoming schedule could provide an opportunity to make those improvements. Pittsburgh travels to face the Buccaneers on Sunday before heading to Paris for an international matchup against the Saints. The Steelers will then return home to face the Browns in Week 8 before entering their bye week.

Tampa Bay could present a different challenge than initially expected, with Baker Mayfield unlikely to play and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels potentially stepping in at quarterback. If Daniels gets the start, Pittsburgh's defense will have an opportunity to face an inexperienced signal-caller before moving into a more difficult stretch of its schedule. However, the Steelers cannot afford to overlook Tampa Bay simply because of the potential quarterback change. Young quarterbacks can still create problems, particularly when defenses allow them to settle into a rhythm. Pittsburgh needs to capitalize on the matchup while continuing to clean up its own mistakes.

The Browns have already beaten the Steelers once this season, producing 372 total yards and scored 27 points. The Saints’ Tyler Slough has shown he can step up in big moments too, handing the Baltimore Ravens their only loss on the young season, though he has struggled the last few weeks.

Roethlisberger's point is not necessarily that Pittsburgh's next three opponents are incapable of giving the defense problems. Instead, the bigger picture involves what comes after this stretch. Following the Browns game, the Steelers will enter their bye week before beginning a demanding run that includes matchups against the Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos.

Those games could provide a much more revealing test of where Pittsburgh stands defensively. That portion of the schedule will demand a more complete performance from Pittsburgh. Missed tackles, blown coverages and an inability to pressure the quarterback can become much more costly against offenses capable of consistently exploiting those mistakes.

The Steelers need to be prepared for those challenges long before they arrive.

The biggest takeaway from Roethlisberger's comments is that Pittsburgh has a window to get better before the schedule becomes more demanding. It also creates an opportunity for individual players to build confidence. A defense that generates pressure, forces turnovers and limits opposing scoring opportunities can carry that momentum into more difficult matchups.

However, the Steelers cannot assume that upcoming opponents will make things easy. Jalon Daniels just led the Bucs to their first win of the season over the Dallas Cowboys on the road and divisional games against Cleveland rarely come without their own complications. Pittsburgh must take care of business rather than simply looking toward the more recognizable quarterbacks waiting later in the schedule.

The offense also has a role to play. Sustaining drives, controlling possession and avoiding turnovers can keep Pittsburgh's defense fresh and prevent opposing quarterbacks from getting repeated opportunities to find a rhythm.

Ultimately, the Steelers' next three games could help determine whether the team is prepared to compete against the NFL's best offenses. The schedule offers a reasonable opportunity to build momentum, but that opportunity only matters if Pittsburgh takes advantage of it. Roethlisberger's assessment provides an interesting perspective on the weeks ahead. The Steelers have time to work out some issues before facing a tougher collection of quarterbacks, but the clock is ticking.

If Pittsburgh can use this stretch to become a more disciplined and consistent team, the upcoming games against Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Denver could look considerably less intimidating. If the same defensive problems continue to appear, the tougher part of the schedule could quickly expose them.

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