Steelers Have Staggering Advantages Over Washington Commanders Through 9 Weeks Of 2024 NFL Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be thrown right into the fire after a Week 9 bye. The Washington Commanders will be a tough task on the road as both teams are well over .500 and looking to make second-half runs that lead to momentum going into the postseason. With it being a non-conference matchup, some may not declare it as a must-win, but every game matters in the NFL. Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his team will be looking for any advantage possible in the contest, and it appears as if the Steelers have plenty of reasons to believe the game is extremely winnable. 

Washington is off to a very unexpected start and enters Week 10 as the leader of the NFC East. Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels has been the biggest reason why, but he will have to face off against arguably the best defense in the league on Sunday. That, paired with some interesting statistics, display that Pittsburgh should be the team favored, not the Commanders.

Jeff Hochman, a contributor for Sportsline, put together his analysis for the game and rattled off some intriguing rankings that will make Steelers fans a little more confident. Daniels is expected to have a tougher time moving the ball around, while Pittsburgh's offense led by Russell Wilson could potentially be able to put up 30 points for the third time this season.

"The Steelers rank first in red zone defense, fourth in run defense, and fifth in opponent passer rating," Hochman wrote. "Washington ranks 28th in red zone defense, 28th in run defense, and 28th in opponent passer rating. Washington has played the 25th most manageable schedule, while Pittsburgh is ranked 26th."

The signs point to the Steelers having another offensive explosion coming off of the bye week, while Daniels and co. could be in for a long game -- particularly in the red zone. If Pittsburgh can stymie the rushing attack early, the Commanders are going to have a rough go of things. Wilson is likely to have more opportunities to throw the ball downfield for the Black and Gold.

Another point brought up by a different Sportsline analyst was in relation to Tomlin against rookie quarterbacks. History hasn't been that kind to the first-year signal-callers that have had to play versus the future Hall of Fame head coach. Jason La Canfora gave his thoughts while predicting the Steelers to win outright.

"Mike Tomlin is 24-5 all-time vs rookie QBs, and while he lost twice last year, he has a much better team in '24," La Canfora wrote. "Steelers healthy off a bye, and Commandos due for a setback getting some crazy breaks lately. I don't see them going 3-1 vs the AFC North. WSH can't stop the run and Steelers have it cranked up."

All of these signs point to a strong outing from Pittsburgh, but the team is the underdog on the road. Washington has proven week in and week out that it has what it takes to score points and win games, and the franchise is also undefeated at home. With that said, only one of the organization's wins to this point have come against teams with a winning record (the Arizona Cardinals). As La Canfora pointed out, the Steelers' rushing attack could be the difference.

Steelers Can't Afford To Look Ahead To Big Divisional Showdown In Week 11

Pittsburgh needs to come away with a win in every game possible down the stretch. The remaining schedule is one of the NFL's most difficult. Some may look at the Week 10 contest against the Commanders as a potential letdown game with the Baltimore Ravens on the horizon. Time will tell, but it appears as if the Steelers have some significant advantages over Washington and Head Coach Dan Quinn.

Do you think that the Steelers are going to improve to 7-2, or are the Commanders too tough of an opponent? Let us know in the comments below!

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