The Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 6 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is here at last, and we at Steelers Wire have analyzed several defensive keys to victory that could be important for Sunday's clash.
From a rather straightforward path to a Week 6 win to forcing an inexperienced quarterback to pass the football, here's a look at three defensive keys to victory for the Steelers.
Win turnover battle
The Steelers' +2 turnover differential isn't much higher than the Buccaneers' -2, and the game could very well come down to how well Pittsburgh's defense can take the ball away in Week 6. Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels has thrown three interceptions in three games, but we want to see that number skyrocket by the time Sunday's game is all said and done.
All eyes on Bucky Irving
Irving almost single-handedly defeated the Dallas Cowboys for the Buccaneers last week, recording 175 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. The Steelers need to stop Irving from taking over the game, similar to their excellent job in limiting Jonathan Taylor's impact in Week 5. Forcing the Buccaneers to be one-dimensional actually pairs nicely with the next key to victory.
Make Jalon Daniels play QB
Similar to the infamous Jalen Hurts comments made by Tennessee Titans All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the Steelers' defense needs to make Jalon Daniels play quarterback in Week 6. Heading into Sunday's game, Daniels has thrown for 377 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions — numbers that jump off the page in a bad way. His 74.6 passer rating isn't threatening. But his dual-threat ability, which has resulted in 87 rushing yards and 5.4 yards per carry, could be a problem. The Steelers need to keep Daniels in the pocket and force him to win the game through the air, which should easily give Pittsburgh an advantage.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers' defensive keys to victory for Week 6 game vs. Buccaneers