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The Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers have both exploited their strengths all season long and when it comes to their Sunday Night Football matchup tonight, it’s going to be a battle as both teams look to exploit those strengths against each other in Buffalo.
Since acquiring safety Minkah Fitzpatrick last season the Steelers have had one of the top defenses in the league and they continue to show that this season. They are only allowing 300.5 total offensive yards per game, which is third in the NFL, and they are also in the top six of passing yards (199.8), rushing yards (100.7), and points allowed per game. They’ve only allowed 17.6 points per game this season which is a league-high.
The Bills went through a season of trying to find their identity last year as quarterback Josh Allen settled in during his second season in the NFL. With the addition of Stefon Diggs in the offseason, the Bills have taken a major step forward on the offensive side. They are producing 378.8 total yards per game and Allen has passed for the third most yards per game (276.4) in the NFL.
The two teams have also scored the same amount of points per game (27.8) this season. Pittsburgh and Buffalo also share a similarity in a certain aspect of the game on opposite sides of the ball. During a roundtable discussion on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselback broke down both team’s ability to execute on third down, whether it be on defense or offense.
“Josh Allen and the Bills are the number one team on third down, that’s where you make your money as a quarterback, on third down,” Hasselback reported on Sunday. “Then the Steelers have been the best defensively on third down, so this is strength on strength, but I do believe a having a little bit of Ben Roethlisberger makes Josh Allen very dangerous.”
Both Buffalo’s offense and Pittsburgh’s defense will be dangerous tonight, but their counterparts will need to be watched as well. The Steelers offense has been consistent through the air this season but has lacked a running game and Buffalo’s defense has been one of the best in the NFL over the past few weeks as they have found their identity in stopping the run and forcing timely turnovers.
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The Ben Roethlisberger and Josh Allen Comparisons
It’s happened multiple times this week and the Roethlisberger and Allen comparisons are endless. Although they are far apart in age, if you look at the first three years of their careers, Allen and Roethlisberger share a lot of similarities. From their stature to their escapability, to their arm power, Allen and Roethlisberger share a lot.
“I think the crappy beards play a part in it,” Allen told ESPN’s Dianna Russini on Saturday with a laugh. “But just in stature and play style, we resemble a little bit of each other. In my opinion, he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, just always appreciating what he does for his team, how he plays the game, and his willingness to put his body on the line for his team. That’s something that I think we both do very well.”
At this time in his career, Allen is starting to settle in. He’s become calmer in the pocket and rather than run for yards, he’s extending plays in the pocket until receivers become open downfield. He’s currently sixth in the NFL with 3.403 passing yards and also has a 69.9 completion percentage, which has climbed 17 points since his rookie season.
Roethlisberger has also adapted to the times. After trying to escape from pressure early in his career, Roethlisberger has been getting rid of the ball quicker than in the past. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Roethlisberger averages 2.29 between snap and throw, and 72% of his throws are also of 10 air yards or less.
Gameday Inactives for Buffalo
The Bills announced their inactives Sunday evening which included quarterback Jake Fromm, running back TJ Yeldon, safety Jaquan Johnson, tight end Tyler Kroft, defensive end Trent Murphy were all listed on the inactive list. Johnson was the only Bill that was ruled “Out” of the game due to health issues.
Kroft and Murphy have been healthy scratches in previous weeks and Fromm has been the “Emergency Quarterback” all season long.
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