The Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams in Los Angeles this past Sunday, marking the first time they've ever beaten the Rams in L.A. during the regular season. Now, the Steelers try and beat a team they haven't beaten in Pittsburgh since 2011: The Jacksonville Jaguars who, for some reason, give the Steelers all kinds of fits at Acrisure Stadium.
Jim Wexell writes for Steel City Insider and 24/7 Sports, and has been a Steelers beat writer since 1995. He joined WESA's All Things Considered Host Jeremy Scott.
Jeremy Scott: Jim, let's start with the bulletin board material for the week, which came courtesy of Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He called The Terrible Towel "little yellow towels." Now, even if I weren't a Steelers fan, I would still see that as disrespectful. Really, just because of all the towel has done for autism research which, granted, I get if you're not from Pittsburgh, if you're not from this region, you might not know about. But how have the players responded to Lawrence's words about The Terrible Towel?
Jim Wexell: Oh, Jeremy, I'm sorry. I have not asked one player how they responded. I actually saw the interview with Trevor Lawrence, and it was very benign. He was asked if he knew what a Terrible Towel was, and he said, 'Yeah, it's little.' He didn't really mean to demean it by saying 'little.' It is a small towel. And then he went on and on about how he really respected the Pittsburgh fanbase and the franchise. But none of that was in the context of little Terrible Towel. I really didn't take it seriously. I did not ask any of the players. I've been there all week. I didn't hear anybody ask any of the players, so I don't know how to answer your question, brother.
Scott: Much ado about nothing is what you're trying to tell me.
Wexell: Well it could metastasize. The Terrible Towel has some jinx factors to it when people completely disrespect it. Like I know two teams — the [Cincinnati] Bengals and the Tennessee Titans — before the end of season and going into the playoffs, they were immediately cursed in many ways. The Titans, I believe that somebody blew their nose in it and somebody spit on one and there were like three of them. They were all injured and done for their careers. Like, by the next half-a-season. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. They were the number one seed. Those were the Steve McNair days.
And of course, we remember what [former Bengals wide receiver T.J.] Houshmandzadeh did, stomping on the towel. And then the Steelers beat the Bengals after they lost Carson Palmer in the first quarter. So, it has its effects. I don't think the towel is going to get mad at Trevor Lawrence because I did see the interview. But then again, hey, maybe.
Scott: Well, let's get to this week's game when it comes to potential healthy players. The wily old veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has resumed practicing and now the Steelers have a 21-day window to activate him for game action. I'd have thought they'd keep him in sweats for the Jags game and then bring him up next Thursday, so he's fresh for Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans. That's assuming Henry doesn't get traded. But you remarked in your Q&A at 24/7 Sports with Heyward that smart money has him back Nov. 12 for the Green Bay Packers. So why is that your prediction?
Wexell: Well, that's what I heard. And, you know, they're just getting him ready. He needs to get in football shape. And today was his first day after the practice and for injured guys, that's an important day. You know, I asked him, are you concerned about waking up? Were you sore? Was there inflammation? He goes, 'No, I'm good. I'm good.' And so he's just working his way back. He is pushing. He is ahead of progress. He thinks it's because he pushed with the lasering so much and, well, he won't admit that he's ahead of practice, ahead of the prognosis. But that's what I had heard. So I think Thursday will still be too soon. And then my guess is they activate him, say, Friday, and then he has full practice. They won't activate him then, but that's when he'll begin, after that weekend. Then Monday he'll begin to practice in earnest. And I believe he'll he'll play against Green Bay.
Scott: I mentioned the fact that Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans is in fact rumored to be on the trade block. The trade deadline is Halloween at 4 p.m. Steelers GM Omar Khan proved last year he isn't afraid to make blockbuster deals, as evidenced by the Chase Claypool trade to the Chicago Bears. You expect the 'Khan man's' going to strike again?
Wexell: I heard somebody say [the Steelers will trade for] Derrick Henry, and I can't see it at all. And DeAndre Hopkins is a favorite, apparently, at some betting house to land with the Steelers. I can't see that at all. But they really need a cornerback. Now, I had said 'no way.' And when I was asked a week ago — I think when this first came up — I had said 'No way, cornerbacks are way too expensive.' The people out there are going to be high risk that you can afford. And they have guys and although the guys, some of them aren't playing very well, they have enough bodies and they'll probably go with what they have.
Well, there are now three injured corners. Now, Joey Porter, Jr. has a calf [injury], but he's going to be all right. Levi Wallace, who's been struggling, who's kind of slow anyway, has a foot injury. Is that further slowing him? He's a guy that might sit down, but his replacement, James Pierre, was out. I heard he was injured late in the previous day's practice. I approached him in the locker room. He said he's good. But, you know, guys who are hungry for a starting job, when they can smell it might be in the cards for them, they say, 'Yeah, I'm good, I'm good, I'm good.' But today he said, 'I'll practice.' And even when he is healthy, he's a questionable safety choice.
So what you had today was Joey and Pat [Peterson] and then Darius Rush and a little bit of practice squad corner named [Luc] Barcoo. [Broncos cornerback] Patrick Surtain [Jr. would cost two number ones. He's the gold standard for this trade deadline because the Broncos are having a fire sale. They say they're not going to trade him, but he's still on his rookie contract. It would be like trading for Minkah [Fitzpatrick]. It really doesn't cost you much money. The signing team has already paid the signing bonus and now you just have rookie salary contracts and that's just ideal. But it would really cost a lot. And there is a guy with the Bears, [Jack] Johnson is more like give up a third round pick and there are others. [Sean Murphy-] Bunting from Tennessee, and I heard about three names.
I'm going to write about it tomorrow morning, so I'm going to get all those names together. I didn't hear them from the Steelers, now, but they really not only could use a starting caliber corner to replace Levi Wallace and allow Pat Peterson to just be a nickel and dime guy, but they now need one because of injury. So I think they're going to have to do something with cornerback.
Scott: I'm just imagining — and you're not the first person I've heard mention Patrick Surtain as a potential trade candidate — but I'm just imagining all the storylines because you'd have Joey Porter's kid on one side and Patrick Surtain's kid on the other, and that would be your next decade for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm just imagining those storylines.
Wexell: Beautiful. And that would fit right into what Mike Tomlin likes. He loves bloodlines like that. So yeah, that would be interesting, but I just can't see it. Denver's still saying they're not trading the guy, but his name keeps coming up, and the experts are saying it would take two number ones and that's quite a bit. I would give one number one. I would. He's that good now. Then Joey becomes your future number two guy and now you're set.
Scott: Sunday was Diontae Johnson's first game back since week one because of a hamstring. Now, he didn't practice yesterday because of that hamstring and that had people on alert because of what had happened the week prior with Pat Freiermuth and his hamstring. He ended up on injured reserve. But any fears of a Johnson setback were allayed today because he not only practiced but confirmed he is, in fact, going to play on Sunday. Now, with that said, do you think the Steelers will keep him on a pitch count of sorts for precautionary purposes?
Wexell: Well, that's possible. That's probably good thinking. It's totally different than Freiermuth because something snapped in practice and he cursed loudly and angrily left the field and he knew something was wrong. My understanding with Diontae Johnson is, he just felt some tightness. So a pitch count may be warranted, but I wouldn't worry. I mean, I know the listeners at home are are just getting bits from the injury reports and they see "limited," and they had seen the same thing from Freiermuth the week before but it's two totally different scenarios.
Scott: Wide receiver Zay Jones is out for the game for the Jags. Do you expect that it'll be Christian Kirk who puts the Steelers secondary on notice?
Wexell: Right. Christian Kirk's been playing really well lately, and I believe they have another guy. I don't have my depth chart in front of me. I haven't written my Jaguars preview yet, but. I don't know how much it's going to take. If Darius Rush is playing corner, you've got to pick on him all day. He's a converted wide receiver who's been cut by two teams this year as a rookie, as a fifth round pick, and he runs a 4.3 40 [-yard dash]. And he confirmed today that he made a great pick. But he said, I felt like I was in my wide receiver days again because he had to go up and get it. And that's what he is. I don't know. I can't imagine him playing much, but he may have to. And that would be potentially disastrous for the Steelers.
Scott: In terms of the Steelers offense, Dan Moore is going to have his hands full, as well, with Josh Allen. The 'other' Josh Allen, I should call him, because, of course, you got the one for the Buffalo Bills. But the Josh Allen pass rusher for the Jacksonville Jaguars. You expect that they will help Dan Moore with some chips and that kind of thing for protection purposes.
Wexell: Well the other guy on the other side is more impressive, physically. He's 6'5" and 272. Josh Allen 6'5" and 255. These are two huge outside linebackers. But the other outside linebacker, [Travon] Walker, was the number one overall pick last year, and he only has two-and-a-half sacks, but he is a problem. So if you if you put too much focus on Josh Allen, the other guy is going to hurt you bad. So they're problematic. They're a good team.
Scott: Jim I've been likening Trevor Lawrence to Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." My question is, are Steelers going to be saying, 'Hey bud, let's party' by 4:30 p.m. on Sunday?
Wexell: No, I think they're going to be more like Mr. Hand. So you'd like to see you'd like to see Lawrence show up at the game, rolling out of the van with a big cloud of smoke following him. But, I really think this is going to be a difficult game for the Steelers. Trevor Lawrence hasn't really broken out yet. They're like the Steelers: They're 5-2 and haven't had their two star players, Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, the running back, really break out yet. And they have talent all over. They can run the ball. They have a great tight end to throw to, [Evan] Engram, and two or three good receivers. They have a great front seven with number one overall picks and, like, four first round picks, I think in the front seven. Just a lot of talent and yet they're 5-2. They were in London two weeks and then came back and on a short week after coming home from a two week trip to London, went to New Orleans. You're not supposed to win on the road on Thursday night. Yet they did. They didn't look impressive because I'm surprised that they really had their legs. And so they've struggled a bit and are 5-2.
The Steelers have struggled in are 4-2. So these are two teams that have a lot of potential and have won ugly and we haven't seen their best ball. Now I just think we're going to see Jacksonville's best ball because they have 10 days rest now, after that trip to London. So I'm expecting them to handle the Steelers, who really have some problems in their defensive secondary. Even when healthy. And their run defense hasn't been the greatest, and I'm looking for Etienne to really break out He's about due to really show himself off to the nation in a way.
