If the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to turn their season around, this has to be the week that it happens. Perhaps the most telling sign of how far they have fallen this season is that they are nearly a field goal underdog at home against a three-win New Orleans Saints team.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET Sunday from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The game will be televised on FOX.
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The best news for the Steelers is the likely return of superstar outside linebacker T.J. Watt. Watt, the NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year, has been sidelined since the Steelers’ Week 1 in Cincinnati with pectoral and knee injuries. You can not overstate how much of an impact he makes on the Steelers’ defense when he is in the lineup. Since he entered the NFL, the Steelers are just 1-10 in games Watt does not play, while they allow an additional seven points per game when he is out of the lineup. The Steelers’ pass rush has been almost non-existent in his absence, while the defense as a whole has struggled.
They will need Watt to make an impact to help offset an offense that continues to struggle as rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett goes through his growing pains behind a bad offensive line.
Despite the Saints’ struggles in the standings, their offense rates in the top half of the NFL, averaging more than 377 yards and 23.6 points per game. Head coach Dennis Allen seems content to stick with Andy Dalton as the team’s starter, even though Jameis Winston – the team’s opening week starter – is apparently healthy.
Because the NFC South is so wide open with no dominant team (everybody has a losing record), the Saints are still only a game out of first place, so this is a huge game for them. It is not a stretch to envision a scenario where a win could have them tied for first place at the end of Sunday.
What are the odds for Steelers vs. Saints
Storylines for Steelers vs. Saints
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Expert picks for Steelers vs. Saints
(Photo of Kenny Pickett: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)