The 3-2 Steelers are heading to Tampa Bay for a Week 6 showdown against the Buccaneers, a team sitting at a disappointing 1-4. But don’t let that record fool you too much, because they just snagged their first win of the season, a 24-16 victory against the Cowboys in Week 5. That win didn’t just happen; it introduced a new signal-caller who could completely flip the script on their rough start.
A Rough Ride For The Bucs, But A Spark Emerges
It’s been a tough go for Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles and his squad so far. We all saw the three-year, $165 million extension for quarterback Baker Mayfield, and honestly, it just wasn’t looking great. Mayfield struggled through a winless start to the year before he was sidelined with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. It was a brutal stretch, but that Week 5 Thursday Night Football win in Dallas could be a turning point for them. Now they’ve got some momentum and extra time to prep for the Steelers, and that’s something to pay attention to.
While their offense hasn’t exactly lit up the league with 173.4 passing yards per game (27th) and only 20 points per game (25th), they are actually decent on the ground, averaging 133 rushing yards per game, which is good for 7th in the league. The big news? Mayfield is still out, meaning undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels is back under center. This kid only has two starts under his belt, and while that usually means mistakes are coming, he just led them to their first W.
Jalon Daniels: Rookie Poise Under Pressure
Daniels was surprisingly poised and accurate against the Cowboys’ defense last week. He threw for 189 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions, completing a fantastic 76% of his passes. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson clearly had a plan for the young guy, leaning heavily on the quick game and play action to help him succeed. Daniels might be on the shorter side for an NFL passer at 6’0″, and his arm strength won’t make you gasp, but he drives the ball really well on short and intermediate passes. He only had a few rough misses against Dallas, and that was against a struggling defense, but still, the guy delivered.
One of Daniels’ biggest upgrades over Mayfield is his escapability. He’s already racked up 87 rushing yards and four first downs on the ground this season. That mobility could be huge. Despite their strong offensive line, the Buccaneers still have the third-worst sack rate in the NFL at 10.1%, giving up 17 sacks so far this season. A lot of those sacks came from quarterback errors, with Tampa Bay holding the ball for the seventh-longest time to throw at 2.98 seconds. Daniels has shown some improvement in that area over Mayfield, which is a good sign, but he still has moments where his processing slows down and he tries to play “hero ball.”
The Steelers are walking into a situation where a 1-4 team has a fresh face at quarterback who just pulled off a crucial win. Tampa Bay might not be an offensive juggernaut yet, but Daniels’ recent performance and mobility mean this isn’t going to be a walk in the park for Pittsburgh. Can the rookie keep the spark alive, or will the Steelers shut down the momentum? This Week 6 matchup just got a whole lot more interesting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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