Jaguars vs. Steelers: 5 Pressing Questions on Week 8

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to keep their momentum rolling in Week 8, traveling to Pittsburgh to take on Mike Tomlin and the Steelers with a chance to go 6-2.

To preview this week's big game, we spoke with Noah Strackbein of All Steelers to get their insight on the team the Jaguars are faced to do battle with.

1) What has Kenny Pickett shown so far in the Steelers' offense? Has he elevated it, and is he improving?

Noah Strackbein: I wouldn't say Kenny Pickett has elevated the Steeler offense just yet, but if he is improving. Right now, he's still trying to find success for the first half of a game, but as a second half quarterback, he's one of the best. For Pickett, it's all about figuring out the slow starts. What he brings right now, is the ability to adjust at halftime and play calm in those crucial moments. If the game is tight at the end, he's the guy you want with the ball in his hands. But until he gets the first half of games figured out, he remains a work in progress.

2) How much of a concern is the Steelers' offensive line entering Week 8?

Noah Strackbein: Honestly, the Steelers offensive line has impressed this season. They didn't start off the strongest, but in recent weeks, especially last weekend against the Rams, they've held their own. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have some momentum to carry over on the ground, and you saw pretty good holes for them in Week 7. When it comes to pass protection, they've grown there as well, and now that Pickett has a better understanding of when to leave the pocket, he's stayed rather clean.

3) What kind of impact has Joey Porter Jr. had on the Steelers' defense so far?

Noah Strackbein: When Joey Porter Jr. gets the call in big moments, he makes it count. At this point, it's just when they're going to give him the starting job. He's stopped Amari Cooper at the end of a big game, came up with a game-changing interception against Lamar Jackson when covering Odell Beckham Jr., and shut down Puka Nekua and Devante Adams this season. Levi Wallace is dealing with a foot injury, and if he's not ready to play on Sunday, Porter could get his first start. What he does with it could force a shift in their starting lineup moving forward.

4) Which Jaguar is seen as a player the Steelers must stop to win the game?

Noah Strackbein: Trevor Lawrence is the easy answer, but Travis Etienne is another name to watch. Pittsburgh has struggled to stop the run this season, but they did well in the second half against the Rams. If the Jaguars can ground and pound all afternoon, the Steelers are in trouble. If they can't stop Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk, they're also in trouble.

5) Score prediction?

Noah Strackbein: Man, this is a tough one. You want to pick the Jaguars because it just feels like they're the better team. But Baltimore and Los Angeles were the better teams too. I'm saying the Steelers pull off another wild one, 24-21.

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