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Key matchup: Walter vs. Steelers pass defense
Andrew Walter
The Raiders second-year quarterback and second starter at the position this season didn't play a snap as a rookie in 2005. This season, he was forced into action when Aaron Brooks suffered a strained chest muscle Sept. 17 at Baltimore. Against the Ravens and through his three starts prior to last Sunday's 22-9 win over Arizona, Walter completed just 46.5 percent of his passes (46 for 99) and threw seven interceptions and just two TD passes. But Walter was a different player against the Cardinals, completing a career-high 17 passes on a career-high 30 attempts for a career-high 263 yards with one TD and one interception. He also lost two fumbles prior to exiting late in the third quarter because of a hamstring injury. The difference, apparently, was that Walter figured out how to consistently find his go-to guy against an Arizona defense that employed an eight-man front in an effort to stop the run and put the game in Walter's hands. Wide receiver Randy Moss dropped four passes, but still finished with a season-high 129 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
The Steelers' pass defense
The last time Dick LeBeau's defense licked its chops at the prospects of facing an inexperienced quarterback, San Diego's Philip Rivers got stronger as the game wore on. In the end, he couldn't be stopped during his fourth career start Oct. 8 in San Diego. The Steelers were able to neither confuse nor confound Rivers with their disguising of coverages and myriad of zone-blitzes as they had so many inexperienced quarterbacks previously. Rivers finished 24 of 37 passing for 242 yards, with two TDs and one interception (on his third attempt of the night) in a 23-13 Chargers victory. Last Sunday, the Steelers failed miserably at containing the other team's go-to guy, in this instance Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler. He caught a career-high three TD passes and six balls for 117 yards in a 41-38 Falcons overtime win. The Steelers allowed QB Michael Vick to throw a career-high four touchdown passes (he had two in Atlanta's first five games) and also surrendered an average of 4.4 yards on 39 rushes.
The matchup: Walter, at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, has a strong arm and likes to throw the ball down the field, as the Raiders have traditionally demanded of their quarterbacks. And he earned praise from coach Art Shell for moving around in the pocket more and buying himself some time against Arizona. But Walter is no Michael Vick. Walter is also running as simplistic an offense as you'll find in the NFL (the options are run, throw it to Moss, turn it over or punt), and he's fumbled eight times in five games (including just three complete games). The Steelers have allowed 10 touchdown passes (they gave up just 15 a year ago) and rank 11th in sacks with 16 (uncharacteristically low even considering that the Steelers have already had their bye week). They're also hobbled on defense. Still, if they can't get to Walter and force mistakes, it might well be a sign that the Apocalypse is at hand. EDGE: STEELERS
Last week: Falcons receivers caught just eight passes against the Steelers' secondary last Sunday in the Georgia Dome, but one was a spectacular, 17-yard TD grab by Michael Jenkins. And Crumpler, though not a wide receiver by trade, did pretty much what he wanted when he wanted in the passing game, helping Atlanta turn turnovers into points even in the first half when the Falcons' running game was non-existent. EDGE: FALCONS
- By Mike Prisuta
