NFL Pittsburgh Steelers

Markus Wheaton Will Be X-Factor For Pittsburgh Steelers In Week 6

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Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to get the ball downfield, and Antonio Brown can’t do it all himself. This is Markus Wheaton‘s second year and he knows the offense by now. The Steelers drafted him to be a legitimate No. 2 receiver in the NFL, and it’s time for Wheaton to step up and perform.

If the Steelers only focus on Brown, so will the Cleveland Browns‘ best defensive back, Joe Haden. If Haden plays — he’s nursing a hip injury — he could shut down Brown in Week 6, meaning the Steelers’ passing attack will stall. Wheaton had one catch for 17 yards last week against the league’s worst defense in the Jacksonville Jaguars. He also had a key drop in the game. That kind of performance will not get it done against the Browns.

Wheaton, who had more than 1,200 yards receiving his senior year at Oregon State, looked great in Week 1 against the Browns. He hauled in six balls for 97 yards. His longest catch of the year came in the same game, going for 40 yards. There’s no coincidence that the only time the Steelers’ offense looked great this year was in the first half of the Week 1 win over Cleveland, when both Wheaton and Brown were hauling in passes. The offense put up 24 points in the first half of that game. This is the production the Steelers will need again against the Browns if they plan on moving the ball down the field and winning the game.

The Browns are coming off an emotional come-from-behind win over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday. In fact, it was the biggest road comeback in NFL history. If the Steelers plan on winning this Sunday in Cleveland, they would be wise to jump on the Browns early with some deep passes to Wheaton and Brown. The bottom line is that the Steelers won’t have a potent passing attack if they can only rely on one receiver. It’s Wheaton’s time to shine, and I see him doing it this week against Cleveland.

Nate Vandergrift is a Pirates writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter@natevandergrift, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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