Pros
- At a -6.5-point disadvantage, the Cardinals are underdogs in this week’s contest, implying more of a focus on throwing than their typical game plan.
- The predictive model expects the Cardinals offense to be the 2nd-fastest paced team in the league (in a neutral context) at the present time, averaging 26.17 seconds per snap.
- The predictive model expects Trey McBride to accrue 7.0 targets in this game, on average, putting him in the 97th percentile when it comes to tight ends.
- Trey McBride has been much more involved in his offense’s pass attack this season (17.2% Target Share in games he has been on the field) than he was last season (7.2%).
- Trey McBride has notched substantially more adjusted receiving yards per game (42.0) this season than he did last season (29.0).
Cons
- The Cardinals have a new play-caller this year in head coach Jonathan Gannon, and the projections expect their pass/run mix to tilt 1.9% more towards rushing than it did last year (context-neutralized).
- The model projects the Arizona Cardinals to be the 8th-least pass-oriented offense on the slate this week with a 56.4% pass rate, accounting for their underlying play style and matchup dynamics.
- As it relates to protecting the passer (and the ramifications it has on all pass attack stats), the O-line of the Cardinals profiles as the 5th-worst in the league this year.
- The Steelers pass defense has surrendered the 8th-lowest Adjusted Completion% in the league (69.8%) vs. TEs this year (69.8%).
- This year, the imposing Steelers defense has yielded the 8th-least adjusted yards-per-target in the league to opposing TEs: a measly 6.7 yards.
Projection
THE BLITZ
45
Receiving Yards