Las Vegas Raiders: Pittsburgh Steelers expert on the Week 2 matchup
By Brad Weiss
Heading into the Las Vegas Raiders Week 2 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, we spoke with StillCurtain.com expert Tommy Jaggi to get his perspective.
The Las Vegas Raiders hit the road in Week 2 to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that is also fresh off a tremendous victory this past weekend. The Steelers are looking to reclaim their spot as the team to beat in the AFC North, while the Raiders are looking to finally get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Heading into the matchup, we reached out to the talented Tommy Jaggi from StillCurtain.com, FanSided’s Pittsburgh Steelers fansite to gain his perspective heading into Week 2.
Raiders: Interview with Tommy Jaggi of StillCurtain.com
Where do the Steelers have a decided advantage?
The Raiders and Steelers are both 1-0 football teams entering Week 2, however, Pittsburgh has a significant advantage this week. After Las Vegas duked it out with the Baltimore Ravens in an overtime thriller on Monday night, Jon Gruden’s team is forced to travel to the east coast on a short week to face the Steelers.
Historically, these matchups have always favored the home team, and I believe this will prove to be a costly mistake by the scheduling department. Pittsburgh’s defense was electric last week, so facing a jetlagged Raiders offense in Week 2 is a task they should be able to handle.
One player Raiders Nation may not know about but will have an impact
The Raiders aren’t the only team with an ascending pass rusher from a small school. Maxx Crosby has been fantastic for Las Vegas, but the Steelers have a lesser-known edge defender who has also improved by leaps and bounds.
Alex Highsmith was a former college walk-on at Charlotte, but his outstanding production helped him land in the third round to the Steelers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He seems to be improving each time he takes the field. Highsmith isn’t the biggest edge defender, but he’s stout against the run with a lightning first step and impressive dip, and an effortless spin move.
The Raiders better do their homework on him this week.
Prediction
On a neutral playing field, I actually think the Raiders might be favored in this one, as they are always a difficult matchup for the Steelers. However, Pittsburgh is the healthier team coming off a full week of rest, and I think it’s going to be very difficult for Las Vegas’s offensive line to keep T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward in check.
Even with the big scheduling disadvantage, I think the Raiders find a way to keep this one close, but I have the Steelers coming away with the victory
Final Score: 28-21 Pittsburgh
We thank Tommy for his time heading into the Week 2 matchup with Pittsburgh. You can find him on Twitter at @TommyJaggi and can read his tremendous analysis on this game, and more at StillCurtain.com.