The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for the 2024 regular season, and with it being the team’s seventh game fans’ hopes remain high heading into the second quarter of the season. The hope is there is a winning performance on the horizon on Sunday in Week 7 when the team hosts the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football.

What exactly do the Steelers need to do to on offense to claim their fifth victory of 2024? Let’s break it down…

Offense

Where’s the weakness?

When you look at the Jets’ defensive rankings in 2024, they are stellar. They rank 2nd in yards surrendered per game (273 yards), 2nd in passing yards per game (148.8), and 17th in rushing defense yards per game (124.2). See the weakness? Yeah, I do too, and it means the Steelers are going to have to run the football if they want to succeed in this game. Without Zach Frazier it will be a tough test, but it’s the Steelers’ best chance at moving the football vs. the Jets defense.

Move the chains

The Jets defense is currently tied for 8th in 3rd down defense, surrendering 3rd down conversions in 33.8% of their opportunities. The Steelers offense has struggled on 3rd downs this season, and it will be imperative they find a way to create manageable down and distances on Sunday night. Add in avoiding the pre-snap penalties which tend to kill a drive before it even has a chance to get off the ground.

Protect the QB

The New York Jets defense is tied for 3rd in the sack department, tallying 30 sacks so far this season. The Steelers have surrendered 16 sacks to date, and you have to wonder how many sacks they would have given up if they didn’t have the mobility of Justin Fields at times. With Russell Wilson being the assumed quarterback, the offensive line’s ability to keep him upright will be paramount.

Keep it Clean

Of all the good things the Jets defense has done this season, they have not been known for taking the ball away. In fact, they have only had six takeaways (2 INT / 4 FR) on the season. On top of that, the Steelers have only turned it over four times (1 INT / 3 Fumbles). There have been other plays of note which could have resulted in turnovers, but the team was fortunate to not have them officially count. Keeping it clean will be huge for the Steelers on Sunday Night Football.

I talk about this, and MUCH more on the “Let’s Ride”, and you can hear that podcast in the player below this article. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they gear up for game time!