Steelers are 2-1, but the numbers show major trouble ahead vs. Vikings

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-1 and tied for the lead in the AFC North, but they might be the worst 2-1 team the NFL has seen in quite some time.

These Steelers are getting gouged on defense on a weekly basis. Sure, the box score shows that Pittsburgh forced five turnovers in a 21-14 win over the Patriots in Week 3, but that was more about New England suffering from self-inflicted wounds than the Steelers being great.

Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled on New England's opening drive and the Steelers got the ball at their own 46-yard line and turned the the gift into a touchdown.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye then killed a 17-play, 92-yard drive by throwing an interception in the end zone with 12 seconds left in the first half.

It got worse in the second half as Stevenson and Antonio Gibson lost fumbles on New England's first two possessions of the third quarter. Stevenson's fumble came with the Patriots at the Pittsburgh 2-yard line, and Gibson coughed up the football near midfield.

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In the fourth quarter, after tying the game on an 88-yard touchdown drive, the Patriots forced a Steelers punt only to drive the ball to the Pittsburgh 40-yard line before Maye lost a fumble on a strip sack. The Steelers turned that into the game-winning touchdown with 2:16 remaining.

How many good teams are gifted five turnovers but barely win? The Vikings forced five turnovers on Sunday, too, but they built a 45-point lead and crushed the Bengals 48-10.

No opponent can be overlooked in the NFL, but the Vikings are about to face a Steelers team that struggled to beat the winless Jets in the opener before getting smoked at home by Sam Darnold and the Seahawks and then won ugly against New England.

This is the same Steelers defense that gave up 31 points to Justin Fields and the Jets. Do you know what Fields did in his second start this season? He was 3-of-11 passing for 27 yards before he was knocked out of the game with a concussion against the Bills. The Jets lost 30-10 and then fell to 0-3 in a thriller against the Bucs.

The Jets had six points through three quarters on Sunday, then scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a blocked field goal return for a touchdown, before Baker Mayfield gouged their eyes out on a game-winning drive.

The Steelers probably would've gotten beat worse than 31-17 at home by the Seahawks if it weren't for Seattle missing a 36-yard field goal and Darnold throwing a bad interception just outside of the red zone.

Steelers getting crushed in the red zone

Pittsburgh should be alarmed that its defense is allowing a touchdown on 64% of opponent drives that reach the red zone. They should be even more alarmed because the Patriots turned it over twice inside the 2-yard line.

Overall, opponents have had the ball in the red zone 11 times against the Steelers through three games, and those drives have ended with seven touchdowns, one field goal, one missed field goal, and the two embarrassing Patriot turnovers.

So, yeah... it could be worse for Pittsburgh.

Vikings getting key players back

Now the Steelers have to face a Minnesota team that is still working out the kinks of a 2-1 start. Carson Wentz will get Jordan Addison back from suspension. That gives him Justin Jefferson, Addison, Jalen Nailor and Adam Thielen as receivers, with T.J. Hockenson at tight end and Jordan Mason at running back.

With four-fifths of the offensive line healthy — rookie left guard Donovan Jackson will miss the next two games after undergoing wrist surgery — Wentz should have enough protection and weapons to slice and dice Pittsburgh's defense.

Aaron Rodgers woes under pressure

Pittsburgh might be more concerned about what the Vikings defense is going to do to Aaron Rodgers. The four-time MVP has been pressured on 30% of his 96 drop backs this season, according to Pro Football Focus. When under pressure, he's completed just six of 22 attempts for 146 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Rodgers' 27.4 offensive grade under pressure is the worst in the NFL this season, according to PFF.

Whether Pittsburgh knows it or not, all signs point to trouble against a Vikings team that is a monster on defense and is in the process of figuring things out on offense.

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