ESPN NFL

After watching a lot of film on both the Steelers and Jaguars, talking to coaches and scouts and following preseason practices, here are some key things to watch in their game on Monday (ESPN 8:30 p.m. ET).

• Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will try to confuse QB Byron Leftwich with a variety of zone blitzes, in-line stunts and twists, as well as disguising the Steelers' coverages. This is a talented, but young Jacksonville passing game that will likely have trouble making the right reads vs. this complex Steelers defense.

Willie Parker

Running Back Pittsburgh Steelers Profile

2006 SEASON STATISTICS Rush Yds TD Rec Yds TD 29 115 0 3 13 0

• Look for Pittsburgh to widen its running game this week with RB Willie Parker. Not only does he have good speed to the outside, but Parker is also facing one of the best interior defenses in the NFL (DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson, and MLB Mike Peterson). Stroud and Peterson are banged up and DE Reggie Hayward is lost for season, which makes them even more vulnerable on the perimeter. We could see more sweeps and off-tackle plays, and even some dump offs and screens in the passing game to take advantage of Parker's open-field skills.

• One thing we do know is the Steelers will run the football. They ran it 38 times vs. Miami and established ball control. But they do not want to overwork Parker and Bill Cowher will be aware of his workload.

• Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt is one of the NFL's best play-callers on game day. Although he loves to incorporate gadget plays and give defenses some exotic looks, he also knows the personality of his players and his head coach, and that is why he is not hesitant to run the football and control the clock. He does a great job of adjusting to his personnel, but also coming up with good calls in key situations.

• RB Najeh Davenport was an excellent pick-up for the Steelers. The one missing ingredient in their outstanding running game was a guy who could fill the void left by Jerome Bettis. Now Duce Staley become almost a non-factor

• Pittsburgh is concerned about its special teams, especially its punt return unit. The Steelers gave up more than 26 yards per return to Miami's Wes Welker in Week 1. The usually good tackling was shoddy and even the kicking game did not click on all cylinders. Cowher is a former special teams coach and will get these problems ironed out.

• This is the week for the Steelers to play great "triangle" defense. The triangle is NT Casey Hampton and ILBs James Farrior and Larry Foote. They do a great job of stopping the inside run, though the Jaguars have a good triangle of their own in Henderson, Stroud and Peterson. Good run defense on first and second downs will be critical in this game. These defenses want the opposing QBs in third-and- long situations.

• It's not totally surprising that QB Charlie Batch played well last week vs. Miami. This guy has a lot of experience in the NFL. In the last two years, Batch has started three times for the Steelers and they have won all three. This is a guy with 49 starts in his NFL career and a lot of people don't realize how much experience he has. However, the Dolphins made some mistakes in their coverage and gave Batch some easy completions. Jacksonville's secondary is opportunistic and will be tougher on Batch -- if Ben Roethlisberger isn't ready to play.

• The Steelers do have some concerns about Davenport. He has a long history of injuries and takes a lot of punishment because of his upright running style. He has played in only 39 games in the last four years and will need to stay healthy to help carry the load. Parker had 29 carries in the opener vs. Miami and that's too many.

• Jacksonville's secondary will give Pittsburgh a lot of looks, alternating between man-to-man coverage and Cover 2 zone schemes. If SS Donovin Darius is forced to play in the box to slow down the Steelers' run game (which is likely), the Jags will likely use a Cover 1 or man-free look, with FS Deon Grant playing the middle of the field in position to help either of the corners in man-to-man schemes.

When Roethlisberger (or Batch) sees that look, he must find the receiver who is single covered (hopefully Hines Ward). If Jacksonville shows a Cover 2 look, Roethlisberger should look for TE Heath Miller down the deep middle of the field between the safeties. Making the right reads versus this aggressive defense will be critical for Roethlisberger and the Steelers.

• LeBeau will show Leftwich several zone blitzes. Leftwich must determine who is rushing and who is dropping into coverage. The Steelers do a great job of confusing QBs who think they have and open zone to throw into, only to find a LB or even a DL sitting in that zone.

• Don't be surprised if the Steelers use Parker as a receiver at times vs. Jacksonville by flexing him into the slot or putting him in motion. He is a tough matchup in space for an OLB or even for Darius.

• Miller could have a big day against the Jaguars. Ward will likely get some double coverage and Darius may be forced up into the box a lot to help in run support -- which could leave Miller covered by a LB. If that happens, it's imperative that the Jaguars get a good jam on him at the line of scrimmage to at least slow him down. If Miller is allowed to run free on the snap of the ball, he will make some big plays.

• Leftwich must know where Pittsburgh SS Troy Polamalu is on every play. In his pre-snap reads, Leftwich must know if Polamalu is deep in coverage or in the box as a blitzer or run supporter. The problem is he often disguises his assignments until the snap of the ball and it's hard to get a handle on him. If Leftwich reads a Polamalu blitz, he will go to a quick pass and hopefully find the open zone vacated by the blitzy.

• The Jaguars would be wise to use some spread formations and multiple-receiver sets to spread out a very physical Pittsburgh defense. Because they lost fullback Greg Jones for the season with a knee injury, they will play a lot of time without a fullback. Also look for some two-TE packages and more three-WR and one-back sets, which would spread the field and force the Steelers' OLBs to play wider, negating their edge pass rush and making it harder to blitz.

• Jacksonville lost its best pass rusher -- Hayward -- for the season with an Achilles injury vs. Dallas. He had 8½ sacks a year ago and will be hard to replace. Veterans Marcellus Wiley and Rob Meier will share the position, but neither has a lot of explosiveness and edge pass rushing skills. The Jags may have to blitz more to create pressure.

• Jacksonville is worried about the ability of its offensive line to handle Pittsburgh's defensive front seven. The unit has size but is not overly quick. The Steelers are much more athletic and when they blitz, or use twists and stunts up front, it will be tough for Jacksonville to stay with its movement. This could be a tough night for Leftwich, unless he goes to more three- and five-step drops.

Matt Jones

Wide Receiver Jacksonville Jaguars Profile

2006 SEASON STATISTICS Rec Yds TD Avg Long YAC 5 71 0 14.2 25 16

• Leftwich must be good in the red zone against the Steelers' defense. He has big targets in WRs Matt Jones, Reggie Williams and Ernest Wilford. The Steelers have not played good man-to-man defense so far and that's what we will see from them in the red zone. The Jags must come away with TDs and not FGs every time they get close, which won't be often.

• Even though he averaged only 3.5 yards per carry, RB Fred Taylor had 21 rushes last week versus Dallas and kept the offense from becoming one dimensional. The same thing will happen this week. Success in the run game won't be easy against the Steelers, but the commitment to the run may set up some good play- action possibilities for Leftwich.

• Jacksonville can show spread sets on offense, but it can also be effective in two-TE sets if the Steelers' pressure starts getting to Leftwich. The two-TE set helps protect the QB, but it will also allow Polamalu to play in the box and would give the secondary favorable matchups in the passing game. When we see this formation, TE George Wrighster may be a good target in the passing game, but the other TE, Kyle Brady, is primarily a blocker.

• To negate Pittsburgh's pass rush, Leftwich can work out of the shotgun formation and utilize a short-to-intermediate passing game that features quick slants and crossing routes. Jacksonville has big receivers who can use their size to push off and shield defenders against the smaller defensive backs. He will also have to be in sync with his receivers on their hot reads when he sees the blitz coming.

• Jacksonville may come out throwing to surprise the Steelers and get an early lead and then give the ball to Taylor and count on a solid run game and dominating defense to finish out the game.

• As important as Taylor is to Jacksonville in the running game, and even as a receiver out of the backfield, a big role for him this week may be as a pass blocker. His ability to pick up the Steelers' blitz may be a significant factor in Leftwich's ability to have enough time to let his receivers get open.

• Corners Rashean Mathis and Brian Williams like to play aggressive man-to-man schemes and their ability to cover Ward and Cedrick Wilson without help is critical. Jacksonville has a dilemma with the loss of Hayward. If the Jags sit back and play it safe, Roethlisberger may pick them apart. But if they blitz a lot with their LBs (to compensate for a struggling pass rush), they run the risk of giving Miller a lot of room to run. However, good coverage by the corner at least gives the Jags a little more wiggle room.

• One thing you notice on film when you watch Leftwich is his deliberate release. There is no question about his arm strength, but he has an elongated windup and takes a lot of unnecessary hits. That could be a real problem this week versus the Steelers' aggressive blitz. He must get the ball out quicker.

• LOT Khalif Barnes has his hands full this week with Pittsburgh ROLB Joey Porter, always a threat to blitz off the edge. Look for TE help and also a RB always in position for blitz pickup. As much as Leftwich must identify Polamalu before the snap, he must also be prepared for Porter as a pass rusher.

Gary Horton, a pro scout for Scouts Inc., has been a football talent evaluator for more than 30 years. He spent 10 years in the NFL and 10 years at the college level before launching a private scouting firm called "The War Room."