Week 1 is set to kick off soon, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will open their season against the New York Jets. Last year, the Jets were disappointing, going 5-12. That might make some believe that the Steelers should win this matchup easily. However, the Jets have undergone a lot of changes this offseason. That includes having a new coaching staff. They're hungry to prove themselves, and analyst Pete Prisco is picking them to defeat the Steelers this week.
"I think the Jets are the better team," Prisco said recently on CBS Sports HQ. "I think they'll find a way defensively to limit Aaron Rodgers, and that run defense will be good. They only gave up 4.1 [yards] per rush on the ground last year.
"I think they're gonna be better against the run this year. And I do think it's gonna be a problem for [the Steelers] and they'll turn their pass rushers loose. I think [Justin] Fields will do enough running the ball. They will run the ball. I think the Jets are the side in this game."
The Jets are very familiar with Rodgers. He was their starting quarterback last season. While he missed basically all of 2023 with an Achilles injury, their team still got to know a lot about him. That could help them defend against Rodgers in this game.
Also, many Jets pass rushers have expressed how badly they want to sack Rodgers. There doesn't appear to be any bad blood between them and Rodgers, but the quarterback's status as a legend puts a target on his back.
It's debatable if the Jets are better than the Steelers. For what it's worth, Prisco has previously expressed confidence in Rodgers this offseason. It sounds like he's less sure about the Steelers' ability to support him. Considering their run game struggled to get going in training camp and the preseason, that's a fair concern.
However, the Steelers are used to winning games in which their offense struggles. Their defense looks poised to be one of the NFL's best this season. While they're missing first-round rookie Derrick Harmon, they've got a deep rotation of defensive linemen who could replace him.
Also, the Steelers are as familiar with Fields as the Jets are with Rodgers. Fields started six games for them last year. That could make any advantage the Jets gain due to their familiarity with Rodgers negligible.
Perhaps Prisco will be right, though. Rodgers has started slowly in Week 1 in recent years. That trend could continue, especially since he didn't suit up in the preseason. It isn't easy to win in the NFL, and the Jets won't just roll over for the Steelers. It's going to be a battle, and the better team will win.
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