The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at 1-1 heading into their Week 3 matchup, and although there's plenty of concern surrounding the team, the defense has looked great through two games. Luckily for the Steelers, their divisional showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals could very well come down to which defense can take over the game early.
From neutralizing the Bengals' biggest weapon to doing more of what's already worked over the past two games, the Steelers need to follow these three defensive keys to victory in Week 3.
Double team Ja'Marr Chase
With Joey Porter Jr. likely out on Sunday and Jamel Dean questionable, the Steelers will trot out Jalen Ramsey, Asante Samuel Jr., and Daylen Everette as their top cornerbacks. This may not be enough to contain wide receivers
Chase and Tee Higgins, but double-teaming the former will at least give Pittsburgh's secondary a shot at walking out of Week 3 with a victory.
Bend but don't break with Joe Burrow
Pittsburgh's defense gave up a few key chunk plays during their Week 2 blowout loss to the New England Patriots, but the unit looked great overall. To defeat the Bengals, the Steelers will have to do their best to limit the big-play potential of Burrow, calling on defenders to remain disciplined in their individual assignments to avoid busted coverages. The last thing the Steelers want is this game turning into a shootout.
Bring the pressure early and often
Pittsburgh's pass rush has looked fantastic, and that may be the winning recipe needed for Week 3. The team could use a bit more creative blitzes, but if it isn't broken, why fix it? The Steelers' starting defensive line can shred through most offenses, and that's exactly what the team will need to bank on for a Week 3 victory.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers' defensive keys to victory for Week 3 matchup vs. Bengals
