Steelers vs. Jaguars Gameday: TV Info, Lines, Injuries, More

STEELERS GAMEDAY INFO

Week 8, Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2)

Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, 1 p.m.
Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh (68,400, grass)

Broadcast
TV: CBS, KDKA locally, (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn). TV Broadcast Map.

Radio: Steelers Radio Network, 102.5 WDVE-FM (Bill Hillgrove, Craig Wolfley, Max Starks), Sirius XM Radio 109 or 227.

SN Coverage: Alan Saunders, Nick Farabaugh, Ed Thompson
WPXI Weather: 59 degrees, showers. Winds SW 4 mph.
Lines: Steelers +2, Steelers +105, over/under 41

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AT STAKE

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an opportunity to change the narrative surrounding their team on Sunday. The Steelers are 4-2, with two quality if fluky AFC North wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. They face one of the top teams in the AFC in the Jacksonville Jaguars, the easy favorites to win the AFC South.

If the Steelers can earn a win, heading into an obviously soft two-game stretch of their schedule, they have a real chance at being 6-2 at the season’s midpoint and perhaps 7-2 heading back into divisional play.

But really, it’s about more than wins and losses. If they again win with a dysfunctional offense outside of one game-winning drive, the Steelers very well may get to that point record-wise, but it will not come with the expectations of playoff success that kind of start should suggest.

The Jaguars defense is 19th in points and 27th in yards allowed so far this season. It’s a unit that can be beaten, and if the Steelers want to be seen as a serious postseason contender, that’s the real hurdle.

STEELERS INJURY REPORT

The team is mostly healthy coming out of the bye week, with two notable exceptions. Defensive tackle Cam Heyward has not yet begun to practice as he works his way back from core muscle surgery. He is expected to be out for a few more weeks. Tight end Pat Freiermuth suffered a setback in his return from a hamstring injury on Thursday and now will miss several more weeks.

Running back Anthony McFarland Jr. was healthy enough to practice all week, but was not activated from the injured reserve list.

TRANSACTIONS

The Steelers made a pair of practice squad moves this week, cutting tackle Obinna Eze and tight end Noah Gindorff and signing linebacker Caleb Johnson and tight end Scotty Washington

FROM THE OTHER SIDE

The Jaguars are looking to build on a 2022 season that saw a division title, a return to the postseason, and a playoff win, but a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the second. A road win against a team like the Steelers would go a long way to solidifying the Jags as a team to be reckoned with in the AFC.

THE LAST TIME

Chase Claypool and Eric Ebron caught touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger and Benny Snell ran in a 1-yard score as the Steelers beat the Jaguars, 27-3 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville on Nov. 22, 2020.

STEELERS-JAGUARS SERIES

The Steelers and Jaguars have been pitted against one another frequently since the Jacksonville club joined the NFL in 1995. The teams were formerly AFC Central Division rivals.

The upstart club got things started strong with a 20-16 win over the Steelers in the first game between the teams in 1995. Despite the Jaguars being a new franchise and relatively unsuccessful on the whole, they have a 14-13 record against the Steelers.

They’ve also done well in Pittsburgh, winning two straight in the Steel City — including a 45-42 playoff win in 2018. The Jaguars have a 7-6 record in Pittsburgh and have won five of the last six.

PITTSBURGH CONNECTIONS

Former Steelers players Brenston Buckner and Deshea Townsend are assistant coaches for the Jaguars. Buckner was a part of the team’s 1995 AFC Championship Game winning team and was a coaching intern with the Steelers from 2010-12. Townsend won two Super Bowls with the team, XL and XLIII.

Former Penn State tight end Brenton Strange is third on the Jaguars depth chart. Nittany Lions wide receiver Parker Washington is on the injured reserve list. Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye and Pitt defensive back Erick Hallett II are on the practice squad.

FIRST PICK FRAYS

This will be the first time the Steelers have faced Trevor Lawrence since he was the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Steelers are 67-34-4 when facing a quarterback picked first overall. Under Mike Tomlin, they’re 27-15-1 against quarterbacks drafted at No. 1.

The Steelers are 1-0 already this season, having beaten Matt Stafford, who was the first overall pick in 2009, in Week 7. They are also scheduled to face Kyler Murray (2019) and Joe Burrow (2020) twice this season.

The Steelers are 3-0 all-time against Stafford, 2-3 against Burrow, 1-0 against Murray, 1-0-1 against Jared Goff and 5-3 against Baker Mayfield. They have yet to face 2023 first overall pick Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers.