Steelers expert shares big secrets ahead of Bills' Week 2 preseason game vs. Steelers

The Buffalo Bills will be looking to turn things around from their Week 1 disaster against the Chicago Bears. Yes, I know, it’s just preseason. However, the Bills didn’t display any kind of progression from their 33-6 loss against the Bears. They will now turn their attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Up first, is both of these teams having a joint practice today at Acrisure Stadium.

At the end of the day, the Bills are looking to just improve from Week 1 and there are a couple of players who have to step up big time in order to prove that they can be an asset to the final 53-man roster. The Steelers are the perfect matchup for the Bills because of the physicality that they have. The Bills are going to need to prove that they can win at the line of scrimmage.

We had a chance to talk with Still Curtain Site Expert Tommy Jaggi, who covers the Steelers. Jaggi was able to provide some insight about the Steelers as this preseason game continues to approach.

Bills vs. Steelers insight heading into Week 2

1.) Who on the Steelers is on the chopping block that needs to have a great game against the Bills?

The Steelers are coming off an underwhelming preseason opener against the Houston Texans, which included a handful of individual performances that stood in a negative light. Nate Herbig, who is given a shot to be the team's starting center in 2024, had two bad exchanges with QB Fields which resulted in fumbles. He needs a flawless performance against the Bills with rookie C Zach Frazier nipping at his heels for playing time.

More concerning is Broderick Jones' performance in the preseason opener. The 14th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was late off the snap and showcased lazy footwork both pass protection and as a run-blocker. Though his spot on the team is hardly in danger, he needs a bounce-back performance in Week 2 of the preseason.

2.) What is the Steelers’ strongest position heading into this game?

Hands down, the strongest position on Pittsburgh's roster heading into their second preseason game of 2024 is edge rusher. The combination of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith makes one of the best pass-rush pairings in the NFL, while Nick Herbig looks like the perfect option to give them a spark off the bench.

The Steelers will play it cautious with Highsmith, who is nursing a hamstring injury, but Watt could see the field for a few snaps against the Bills before his night is finished.

3.) What are some vulnerable spots that the Bills can attack to cause trouble for the Steelers?

Getting the best of the Steelers in Week 2 of the 2024 preseason starts with the Bills exploiting Pittsburgh's shaky slot cornerback position. The Steelers are experimenting by starting Beanie Bishop Jr. in their nickel defense, but the undrafted rookie free agent struggled in his preseason debut against the Texans.

Additionally, Buffalo shouldn't have to deploy an abundance of resources to shut down Pittsburgh's underwhelming group of backup wide receivers. While Calvin Austin III and Scotty Miller each earned an explosive play through the air in Week 1 of the preseason, they don't have any consistent receiving threats on the team outside of George Pickens.