This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to pack up and cross the Atlantic to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland. The NFL continues to expand its International schedule, and it was only fitting that the first regular-season game in Ireland features the Steelers. Pittsburgh is currently 2-1 and tied with the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals. The Vikings are living life without their starting quarterback and have turned to veteran Carson Wentz.
Here are our big concerns for this week’s game.
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The Vikings just blew out the Bengals
The Steelers defense has been inconsistent all season and after watching the Vikings blow out the Bengals we have to be a little worried. Pittsburgh has been particularly bad at stopping the run and Minnesota running back Jordan Mason had 116 yards on just 10 carries and two rushing touchdowns.
Traveling to Ireland is a complete unknown
Based on the Steelers media schedule, the team plans to fly to Ireland on Thursday evening as well the Vikings but this sort of trip is a complete wildcard and we never know which players or teams will respond best.
Pittsburgh’s offense still lacks an identity
We can talk all day about how the defense caught a break last week and “got lucky” with those turnovers and sacks but the bottom line is they delivered in the clutch. The same cannot be said for the offense. The offense needs to figure out how to establish the run and get some players outside of DK Metcalf and Jaylen Warren involved in the passing game.
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The Brian Flores factor
When you watch the attacking defense of the Vikings, it’s hard not to be a little bit bitter that the Steelers could have had that. Pittsburgh let Minnesota DC Brian Flores leave for the Vikings and hung onto Teryl Austin and the rest, as they say, is history.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers vs Vikings: Early causes for concern in this week’s game