The Pittsburgh Steelers’ regular season opener against the New York Jets is just around the corner — but to keep Aaron Rodgers and the offense rolling, these three keys to victory must be abided by.
Keep Aaron Rodgers upright
While redundant to even mention, Rodgers needs to have a clean jersey throughout this contest. The Steelers’ young offensive line needs to take a stand early against the Jets’ fearsome pass rush — giving Rodgers plenty of time to work his 20-plus years of magic.
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Use Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth in the middle of the field
Besides the predictability concerns over the past several years, one of the biggest frustrations regarding Pittsburgh’s offensive philosophy is the lack of passes to the middle of the field. The acquisition of Smith and the already solidified presence of Freiermuth gives Rodgers two center-field weapons that should be targeted early and often in Week 1.
Throw the ball to open up the run
The Steelers need to force the Jets to respect their passing attack — which should help take some pressure off RBs Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and Kaleb Johnson. From deep shots off play-action to sending DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III on early-down verticals, anything Pittsburgh can do in the passing game to create unpredictability in the rushing attack is welcome.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers’ offensive keys to victory vs. Jets in Week 1