Panthers vs Steelers Week 15 preview: 5 Questions with Behind the Steel Curtain

Questions abound amidst the Panthers Week 15 opponent, can they take advantage?

For two teams with the same record through 15 weeks, The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers could hardly feel more different. Both teams have been beset by similar questions in 2022. Who will play at quarterback? How will they perform? When will [insert defender here] be healthy enough to return to the field? Why did they rename Heinz Field to Accrisure Stadium? Will this be Mike Tomlin’s first losing season as a head coach? Will Mike Tomlin be coaching the Panthers next season?

All of these queries and more have followed both 5-8 teams. I, for one, would have bet on the Steelers having a better season than the Panthers if you had told me how the quarterback situation here in Charlotte would evolve. Tomlin’s the kind of coach you make that bet on.

Yet the Panthers, however matched their records are, are the team here to have an opportunity down the stretch of the season and they have had their motivation and focus honed by interim head coach Steve Wilks to match. They feel like a team on the rise more than the Steelers do, even if that difference truly is only a feeling.

To test that feeling, I spoke this week with Behind the Steel Curtain editor Jeff Hartman. Read on to see what he had to say about quarterbacks, struggling defenses, and the Steelers chances to put up numbers against the Panthers.

Over their last two games, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their highest paid defense in the NFL have surrendered 361 yards rushing. The Panthers have produced 408 yards on the ground in the same timeframe. What hope do you have that the Steelers will be able to clean up their run defense before they meet Carolina’s surprisingly (and only recently) effective rushing attack?

To be completely honest, I don’t have a lot of hope in the Steelers defense being able to do enough to clean up their run defense. If hope resides in anything, it is for the defense to be able to do enough to slow down the Panthers’ attack. The Pittsburgh defense isn’t going to shut down anyone’s rushing attack this season, so the hope is to just slow them down. If the Panthers stick with the run, they will likely have success. This brings up the other side of this debate. The Steelers’ offense, by putting up points and dominating time of possession, could be the best help for struggling defense. Control the clock, score TDs, and the Panthers might not have a choice to stick with the run.

The most relevant and least impressive element of both these teams might be their quarterback situations. Nobody wants to watch more Sam Darnold, Kenny Pickett, or Mitch Trubisky than they have to. Who do you think will get the start this week for the Steelers and what can we expect from them?

When I’m answering these questions, I haven’t seen an injury report yet from the Steelers and if Pickett is practicing. Nonetheless, let’s assume Pickett isn’t available for the game. If that is the case, I think Trubisky gets the start. A lot of fans want to see Mason Rudolph get a shot, but with Rudolph a free agent after this season it doesn’t make much sense to throw him out there….not at 5-8. I expect another Trubisky start, and like you said, no one really wants to see that.

Let’s talk pass defense. Sam Darnold doesn’t do well with too much time or when under pressure. It’s a thrilling combination of flaws that produces late and dangerous throws. What can he expect to find against an unknown, at least to fans in the Carolinas, Steelers defense?

The Steelers’ pass rush hasn’t been as daunting as it has in the past, and that likely is in large part due to T.J. Watt’s absence early in the season, and injuries which have plagued him since his return. Watt, who is dealing with a rib injury, doesn’t look 100%, and the production has been dismal. However, the Steelers are still capable of putting pressure on quarterbacks who lack the mobility of the two they’ve face the past two weeks (Mariota and Huntley). While Darnold is mobile enough, he will have to make off platform throws to beat the Steelers through the air. I believe the hope for a third straight Panthers win will be for the team to run the ball, and put Darnold in manageable down and distances to keep things in check.

Injuries seem to be the second biggest story in Pittsburgh this season behind quarterback play. Do the Steelers have any hope for returns or recoveries this week that will help boost their fortunes?

I don’t foresee any players who are on IR coming off for this game, but the Steelers did just have to place Chris Wormley (DT) on IR after he tore his ACL vs. Baltimore. He is far from an every down player, but losing depth is never good. The Steelers are a team who is pretty healthy on offense, outside of Pickett in concussion protocol, and the defense is also starting to get healthy. Let’s hope the outcome is able to help illustrate the health of the team.

The Panthers opened the week as 1-point home underdogs against the Steelers this week, but the line quickly shifted to having Carolina favored by 2 points. The betting markets clearly still see this as just about anybody’s game, but this does make it the first game in which the Panthers are favored since what feels like the dawn of time. What is your take on the volatility here?

I really like the Steelers on the road getting points in this game. I think the Steelers will play hard for Mike Tomlin to not have his first losing season on their watch, and I believe the defense will rectify some of the issues in the rush defense. On top of that, I wouldn’t rule out Pickett returning to the lineup if he clears protocol. If that happens, the Steelers brand of football which has seen success, run the football and protect the football, could be just what the doctor needed for the Steelers to claim another road victory in Week 15.