Tag Archives: Darius Slay

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Cornerback: Strong Today, But Long-Term Thinking Needed

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True or False: Since Super Bowl XLV, cornerback has always been a need for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL Draft.

The correct answer is “False.” But it is true that since Aaron Rodgers hung 304 yards, threw for 3 touchdowns and walked away with a 111.5 passer rating against the Steelers’ secondary in Super Bowl XLV, cornerback has been a major draft need for Pittsburgh more often than not.

The draft is coming to Pittsburgh, literally in less than a week so the question is, how big of a need is cornerback for the Steelers in the 2026 NFL Draft?

This is the latest article in our Steelers 2026 Draft series.

Asaunte Samuel Jr., Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey celebrate after the Steelers December 2025 win over the Detroit Lions.

Asante Samuel Jr., Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey celebrate after beating the Lions. Photo Credit: Ryan Sun, AP via the Times-Observer

The Steelers Cornerback Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starters

“Bloodlines are important to Mike Tomlin,” Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell loved to remind readers during the latter part of the Tomlin era. Tomlin’s love for bloodlines got the Steelers in trouble with picks like Terrell Edmunds and Devin Bush Jr., but the opposite happened with Joey Porter Jr..

Joey Porter Jr. is of course the son of Steelers legendary linebacker Joey Porter Sr. and the Steelers drafted him in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL draft, making him the 2nd pick of the Khan-Weidl regime.

Joey Porter Jr., Steelers vs Ravens

Joey Porter Jr. gets his first interception. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Joey Porter Jr. won the starting job immediately, and began making a name for himself almost instantly when Lamar Jackson tried to pick on him only to have Porter intercept him in the end zone, negating a Baltimore score and paving the way for a Steelers upset.

Since then Porter Jr. has grown into his role. In his second year Porter began regularly shadowing opponents’ top receivers and you didn’t hear Porter’s name much – which is often a good thing to say about a cornerback.

In his third year Porter managed to reduce his pass interference penalties, and he won All Pro honors while allowing just a 56.2 passer rating in coverage, deflecting 11 passes, and giving up completions less than 50% of the time when targeted per Jacob Infante of PFSN.

Omar Khan has already confirmed that the Steelers would like to extend Joey Porter Jr. this summer.

When the Steelers ended the season with James Pierre starting at cornerback, they opted to let him walk and sign Jamel Dean in free agency, considered by many to be the best available corner in the market.

Jamel Dean is a 7-year veteran with 77 starts to his name. Per Pro Football reference, like Porter Jr. Dean only allowed 49% of pass thrown his way to be completed, and gave up a 63.1 passer rating. For comparison’s sake, Darius Slay, the Steelers 2025 opening day starter opposite Porter Jr., gave up 108.0 passer rating.

The Steelers Cornerback Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Backups

Leading up the depth chart behind the starters is Brandin Echols, a 5-year veteran whom the Steelers signed from the New York Jets last spring. Echols has spent most of his career as a backup, with only 7 starts since his rookie year, but he played exceptionally well as the Steelers number 3 corner last season.

Brandin Echols, Zay Flowers, Steelers vs Ravens

Brandin Echols knocks a touchdown pass away from Zay Flowers. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Steelers also re-signed Asante Samuel Jr. who was a midseason pickup after recovering from spinal fusion surgery following an injury suffered in the 2024 season. Samuel played 58% of the defensive snaps once he was activated, and his interception in the win over the Dolphins snuffed out what looked to be a promising drive for Miami.

The Steelers also have oft-injured Cory Trice on their roster as well as Donte Kent, their 7th round draft pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, who lost his rookie season to injury.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Cornerback

Not mentioned above is Jalen Ramsey, who the Steelers officially list as a cornerback after moving to free safety in middle of the season. Ramsey will likely continue in a safety-like roving defensive back role, but he does give the team additional flexibility.

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft needs scale

This is not something that draft experts are used to saying, but this spring the Steelers have strong starters and solid backups at cornerback.

  • But, you can never have enough good cornerbacks.

Those who remember the days of Artie Burns, Antwon Blake and Coty Sensabaugh’s starting tenures know this reality all too well. Pittsburgh enters the draft with strong starting cornerbacks but lingering concerns about depth and durability, so the Steelers’ need at cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft is Moderate.

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On Paper: Steelers Look Stronger After Week 1 of Free Agency

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were busy during the first week of 2026’s free agency. As expected, Steelers Nation said goodbye to several familiar faces while welcoming newcomers to Pittsburgh.

Here’s an overview of what’s happened so far:

The James Pierre, Kenneth Gainwell left Pittsburgh almost immediately and were followed by Isaac Seumalo, Calvin Austin III, Connor Heyward, Miles Killebrew and Corliss Waitman.

The Steelers welcomed back Cameron Johnston, extended Cam Heyward’s contract, resigned Asante Samuel Jr. Cole Holcomb, Esezi Otomewo and Jack Driscoll.

They also traded for Michael Pittman, signed Jamel Dean, Rico Dowdle, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Jaquan Brisker.

  • Question: So, how has Omar Khan done?
  • Answer: We’ll know when the games start.

Thank about it: A year ago the Steelers secondary looked stronger on paper with Darius Slay’s signing. Sure he was old, but he’d just started on a team that had won the Super Bowl with dominating defense.

  • The Steelers cut Slay, just as they were entering the home stretch.

In contrast, Kenneth Gainwell was seen as more of a “nice to have,” as relief for Jaylen Warren. Gainwell ended up leading the team in receptions and winning MVP honors.

So instead of trying to make pronouncements, let’s look at how each move has impacted their respective areas on the depth chart – on paper.

Michael Pittman Jr. signs his contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the South Side in the March of 2026.

Michael Pittman Jr. signs his contract Steelers. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

Wide Receivers – Stronger, on paper, But….

By trading for Michael Pittman Jr.  the Steelers have something on paper in their wide receiver corps that has eluded them for the last two years – 2 viable starting NFL wideouts. With Pittman playing alongside him, D.K. Metcalf now has someone to take attention away from defensive backs.

  • However, losing Calvin Austin was a blow to depth.

It leaves the Steelers without a viable Wr. No. 3 and a starter in waiting. Yes, Roman Wilson could still be that person, but that was the case this time last spring, and he finished the season on the bench.

Defensive Line – Stronger, on paper…

Cam Heyward might be turning 37 soon, but he put in another All Pro year adding another season to what should be a Hall of Fame resume.

Signing Sebastian Joseph-Day is the type of move the Steelers should have made last spring but didn’t, due to successful attempt to game the comp-pick system. Keeanu Benton, is a good player, and can pressure the passer. Yet, he’s had some good moments against the run, as well as some ugly ones.

Joseph-Day gives them an option there, and a chance to work Benton at end with an eye towards the day when Heyward begins his “Life’s Work.” Signing Esezi Otomewo also shores up depth.

Tight End – Slightly Weaker, on paper…

In truth, losing Connor Heyward isn’t dramatic, but the Steelers still have no one with experience behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. They’re doing to need to add a couple-of-three somebodies.

Darnell Washington, Barrett Carter, Steelers vs Bengals

Darnell Washington dumps Barrett Carter. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Secondary – Stronger, on paper…

James Pierre was the kind of guy you want to keep. Losing Pierre hurt. But the Steelers didn’t see him as a viable long-term starter, and Jamel Dean, on paper, gives the Steelers the chance to field two shut down corners with Joey Porter Jr. yet to reach his prime.

  • Signing Asante Samuel Jr. over Pierre does come with more risk, but also offers a higher return.

The moves also signal Jalen Ramsey remaining at safety, but with DeShone Elliott returning and hopefully at full health, they still had no one behind them. Jaquan Brisker appears to be starter-capable and is a welcome addition.

Running Back – Neutral

You never want to lose your previous season’s MVP, but Rico Dowdle is a proven starter in this league and gives the Steelers an insurance policy with resepct to Kaleb Johnson.

Offensive Line – Weaker, on paper…

The Steelers like Spencer Anderson but Isaac Seumalo has been their best offensive lineman for the past three years. Jack Driscoll gives them depth at offensive tackle, where they need it.

Inside Linebacker – Neutral

Cole Holcomb’s return amounted to a minor surprise, but at this point this is nothing more than a depth signing, as Patrick Queen remains in Pittsburgh and doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere.

Holcomb’s a good guy to have coming off the bench.

Special Teams – Weaker

The decision to let Waitman go and replace him with Johnston, who is older and has had injury issues, is a head scratcher. Calvin Austin was a solid return man, and James Pierre, Connor Heyward were special teams demons and Miles Killebrew was their special team’s captain.

The Steelers should find replacements to fill these holes from the bottom of their roster, but they have created the need to do so.

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3rd Time’s the Charm? Should the Steelers Re-Sign James Pierre for 2026?

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“The third time’s the charm,” goes the saying. As cornerback James Pierre and the Pittsburgh Steelers approach free agency both sides will get their chance to either prove or disprove this old addage.

Let’s take a look how the dynamics behind this decision will play out.

James Pierre, Cortland Sutton, Steelers vs Broncos

James Pierre seals the win by intercepting a pass to Cortland Sutton. Photo Credit: Justin Aller, AP via BTSC

Capsule Profile of James Pierre’s Career with the Steelers

“…What a long strange trip it’s been.” I have no idea of James Pierre is a Grateful Dead fan, but an has his career embodied Jerry Garcia’s’ famous lyrics.

Just take a look at how 2025 unfolded for James Pierre. He got cut at the end of the summer, started the regular season on the practice squad and by the time it ended the Steelers had cut Super Bowl starter Darius Slay and promoted Pierre in his place.

  • Its been that way since the beginning for James Pierre.

He got his start during the COVID summer of 2020, as Jim Wexell tagged him as a sleeper to make the final roster. Wexell was right. Pierre made the roster and appeared in special teams in 16 games.

In 2021 Pierre started 4 games at cornerback, making an interception to help beat the Broncos. Yet, he struggled at other times and finished the season on the bench. He did make 2 starts in 2022  including the stepping up as one of several injury replacements in the upset of Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but only started on other game in ’22.

  • By 2023 his defensive snap count dropped to just 2%, although he continued to excel on special teams.

The Steelers opted let him walk when he reached free agency in 2024, and Pierre signed with the Washington Commanders. In a move Pierre made them regret, Washington cut him before the season’s start, and Steelers quickly added him to their practice squad and promoted him to active roster after a few weeks.

James Pierre, Noah Brown, Steelers vs Commanders

James Pierre deflects a 3rd down pass. Photo Credit: AP, Chaz Palla, Steelers vs Commanders

Pierre played extensively on special teams and participated in 21% of the Steelers defensive snaps in 2024. Pierre’s role grew in 2025 – after he made the active roster – in a season that saw him deflect 22 passes and his 2nd quarter interception of Lamar Jackson against the Ravens set up Kenneth Gainwell’s touchdown, allowing the Steelers to go up 17-3 in a game they won 27-22.

A multi-year contract is the dream of every NFL player, and this is the third time James Pierre has reached unrestricted free agency the Steelers.* Once the Steelers offered him nothing. Last year he got a one-year deal, will James Pierre cash in with the Steelers on his third time around?

*Pierre was a restricted free agent in 2023 and did not get a tender, but a smaller, one-year contract.

The Case for the Steelers Re-Signing James Pierre

The Steelers secondary is a mess – Joey Porter Jr. will hopefully sign a deal to become Pittsburgh’s long-term starter at cornerback, Jalen Ramsey will presumably return as will Brandin Echols, but the Steelers don’t have much depth beyond that (Cory Trice has talent, but can’t stay healthy.)

At age 29, James Pierre has entered the period of his career where experience and athletic talent meet to optimize performance.

James Pierre, Derius Davis, Steelers vs Chargers

Body Slam! Photo Credit: NFL.com

No, no one will ever mention “James Pierre” alongside the likes of Hall of Fame corners Jack Butler, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson or even Ike Taylor. But James Pierre can be a William Gay like player, and Gay provided stability during a tumultuous time for the Steelers secondary.

Signing James Pierre can accomplish the same goal for the Steelers, while giving Pittsburgh the cushion it needs need to avoid another Artie Burns situation – having to reach for a cornerback in the draft.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning James Pierre

James Pierre certainly has a nice story, but there’s a reason why the Steelers were able to let him walk and bring him back twice. He is a solid special teams player and can work in at cornerback, but is he really a long-term starter for the Steelers?

The Steelers need to find a true, legit number 2 NFL cornerback to play opposite Porter, particularly if Jalen Ramsey needs to play safety next year.

James Pierre simply isn’t that man.

The Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and James Pierre

Had Mike Tomlin not decided to put up the Go’in Fishing sign, James Pierre’s return to Pittsburgh would be slam dunk. However, he’s new to Mike McCarthy and Patrick Graham.

By all accounts, the Steelers are interested in bringing Pierre back, but no one should expect Omar Khan to offer a blank check. Expect Khan to make him an offer, but he won’t get into any bidding wars to keep James Pierre in Pittsburgh.

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Mike Tomlin Steelers Legacy: 19 Years of Winning in Pittsburgh

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Mike Tomlin left the Pittsburgh Steelers the same way he arrived – unheralded and unanticipated.

When Bill Cowher called it a day after the Steelers 2006 season, everyone knew either Russ Grimm or Ken Whisenhunt would get the job. Art Rooney II admitted that he didn’t expect to hire yet Mike Tomlin when he walked in the door, but Tomlin knocked his and Dan Rooney’s socks off.

By the same token, Art Rooney wasn’t expecting Mike Tomlin to step away following the loss to the Texans. But step away he has. Here we review Mike Tomlin’s full legacy as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, balancing his accomplishments and shortcomings, all framed within their historical context.

Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin Franco Harris Jersey, Steelers vs Raiders

Mike Tomlin wearing a Franco Harris jersey. Photo Credit: Fred Vuich, AP via St. Albert Gazette

2007 – 2010: Cementing the Franchise Legacy

Few NFL coaches get handed the keys to a Super Bowl team.

If you think that winning is “simple” for them then please Google Phil Bengtson, Ray Handley and Richie Petitbon. A coach who takes the reins of a Super Bowl-caliber team must do much more than “not mess up.”

As Willie Colon explains, “It’s hard to grab the keys to the Porsche and not crash it.”

In his first season, Mike Tomlin took an underperforming team that had gone 8-8 in 2006 and led them to a 10-6 record and an AFC North Championship.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller to bring the Steelers within 5 points. Mike Tomlin went for two. Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward bringing narrowing the difference to three.

Except Sean Mahan got flagged for holding. Tomlin didn’t bat an eye and went for two again. But this time, Roethlisberger couldn’t connect.

  • The Steelers did score again. But so did the Jaguars who won the game 31 to 29.

The move was controversial at the time, but with social media in its infancy the fan rage muted by 2026 standards.

But by doubling down in going for 2, Mike Tomlin established his legacy as a head coach who would put games in the hands of his players and trust them to deliver with the game on the line.

With the Arizona Cardinals threatening to take the lead as the first half closed, James Harrison, granted the freedom to freelance by Tomlin and Dick LeBeau, audibled out of his pass rush assignment and dropped into coverage. 100 yards later Harrison authored the longest run in Super Bowl history, putting the Steelers up 17 to 7.

james harrison, super bowl xliii, interception, record, pick six

James Harrison’s dramatic interception in Super Bowl XLIII

By the time more points were needed to put Pittsburgh back in the lead, the culture of trust and confidence in one another Tomlin had built proved to be the difference maker, as observed at the time:

the Steelers poise and camaraderie were consistent for four quarters. The men in Black and Gold never lost their belief in themselves nor their faith in one another. When faced with adversity, they persevered, they remained determined. And they did it together. That’s been the case all season.

And that’s what made them Super Bowl champions.

The Steelers 2009 season will and should be remembered for the Super Bowl hangover Tomlin tried and failed to avoid.

  • But 2009 revealed something important about Tomlin: His ability to rally a down team.

Memories have faded, but Tomlin’s Steelers never looked worse than they did during 2009’s 5-game losing streak. Yet, Tomlin rallied them for 3 straight wins.

In 2010, the Steelers suffered one of their worst off seasons ever as the word “Midgeville” entered the vernacular. Willie Colon was lost for the season in June. With Ben Roethlisberger suspended for 4 games, Tomlin brought Byron Leftwich back to Pittsburgh. Leftwich broke his leg in preseason.

By week, 2 Mike Tomlin was playing Charlie Batch, effectively his 4th string quarterback, and traveling to Tennessee, starting UDFA Steve McLeodon over Casey Hampton and authoring arguably the greatest defensive performance in franchise history.

  • By the time 2010 ended, the Steelers were in their 3 Super Bowl in 6 years.

Super Bowl XLV ended with a loss , but that didn’t change the fact that as new decade began, it was no longer a question of 4 Super Bowls for Chuck Noll and 1 for Bill Cowher, it was 6 Super Bowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Kevin Colbert observed.

2011 – 2017: The Under Appreciated Rebuild

Mike Tomlin isn’t the only coach to take over a Super Bowl team and win another Lombardi. But continuing to win for more a couple-of-three seasons is much more challenging.

  • Just ask Barry Switzer or Mike Martz.

Yet, despite the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement leaving the Steelers in Salary Cap purgatory, Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert managed .500 seasons in 2012 and again in 2013 – after a 2-4 start no less. The 2012 season stands out for one simple reason – it contains the only Mike Tomlin-coached game where the Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention.

  • By 2014 the Steelers returned to the playoffs, as they did in 2015 and 2016.

As observed elsewhere on this site, the Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown only played 3 of a possible 7 playoff games together.

Steelers Killer Bees, Steelers Killer Bs, Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell

The Steelers Killer Bees were too true to their name. Photo Credit: pegitboard.com

(Rhetorical question “How might Chuck Noll have fared had Bradshaw, Franco, Swann and Stallworth been similarly unavailable for his playoff runs?”)

Injuries aside, by the time the Steelers reached the 2016 AFC Championship game, the only three players who remained from the 2008 Super Bowl squad were James Harrison, Ben Roethlisberger and long snapper Greg Warren.

Yes, Tom Brady seared the Steelers that night in New England, but the fact that Mike Tomlin got his team there with three rookies defensive starters, without Cam Heyward in the lineup and with Robert Golden logging 36% of the defensive snaps speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.

Steelers vs Patriots, Steelers vs Patriots 2016 AFC Championship, Javon Hargrave, Tom Brady

Javon Hargrave sacks Tom Brady early in the ’16 AFC Championship. Photo Credit: Charles Krupa, AP via Mercury News.

As badly as another AFC Championship loss to the Patriots stung, the Steelers seemed to be back.

Alas, tragedy would close the Super Bowl window that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had re-opened 12 games later, when Ryan Shazier fell to the turf paralyzed from the waist down at Paul Brown Stadium.

From there on out, Mike Tomlin would be forced to do more with less.

Interlude: Tomlin’s Warts — Assistant Coaches and Talent Evaluation

And there’s a reason why Tomlin had to do more with less. As Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher did before him, Mike Tomlin had his flaws.

The infamous post-penalty 2-point conversion foreshadowed one of them. Sean Mahan was called for holding, and he’d been hand-picked by Mike Tomlin from Tampa Bay. Mahan traded away at a fire-sale price next September.

  • That raised the question on why Tomlin chose to bring Mahan to Pittsburgh in the first place.

Yes, Mike Tomlin managed to pluck Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt at the bottom of the first round. He and his scouts found gems like Antonio Brown and Kelvin Beachum in the 6th and 7th rounds.

But as the Steelers struggled to Re-Load for Ben Roethlisberger, they swung and missed badly as any sober evaluation of their 2018, 2019, and 2020 draft classes reveals. 2021 wasn’t much better, but Salary Cap Armageddon, combined with injuries and surprise retirements, forced them  to reach to fill needs.

D.K. Metcalf, Terrell Edmunds, Steelers vs Seahawks

D.K. Metcalf burns Terrell Edmunds for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Yahoo.com

This isn’t the sole responsibility of Mike Tomlin, but his voice was at the ver least, the first among equals in the draft war room.

  • In contrast, Mike Tomlin did have a free hand in picking assistant coaches.

Let’s be objective and acknowledge Mike Munchak, Danny Smith, Karl Dunbar, Richard Mann, Al Everest and, arguably, Todd Haley as good hires.

But those were balanced out by the Bob Ligasheskys, Amos Joness, Carnell Lakes and Joey Porter Sr’s (anyone notice how Bud Dupree blossomed when Keith Butler returned to the linebackers room?) Tomlin changed offensive line coaches not named Munchak the way everyone else changes underwear.

His signature attempt to cultivate an innovative coaching talent was Matt Canada. Canada holds the infamous distinction of being the only Steelers coordinator to be fired mid-season in the modern era.

Selecting assistant coaches wasn’t Tomin’s strength, and this weakness weighed him down.

2018 – 2025 – Doing More with Less

The post-Shazier/playoff drought phase of Tomlin tenure will remain a lightning rod for generations. So be it.

  • Here the focus is on what Mike Tomlin achieved as instead of what he failed to achieve.

Three examples highlight Tomlin’s skill as both a leader and as a football tactician: Quarterbacks, the 2021 season and the 2025 season.

Quarterbacks

The Steelers franchise deserves all the criticism it gets for bungling the post-Roethlisberger transition. I can’t prove it, but I suspect Mike Tomlin wanted to draft Lamar Jackson but got beaten to the punch.

Be that as it may, following Roethlisberger’s injury in 2019, Mason Rudolph, Devlin Hodges, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers all started for the Steelers.

Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Steelers 2022 quarterback competition

Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Photo Credit: Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images and The Athletic.)

Do Coach-quarterback records say more about the coach or the QB? Who knows? Either way they yield valuable insights such as:

  • Don Shula reached a Super Bowl with David Woodley – Score one for Shula.
  • Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady is piss poor – draw your own conclusions.
  • Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different QBs – Yeah Joe is underrated.
  • Noll & Malone beat Walsh & Montana. Twice – Score one for The Emperor.

Rudolph, Hodges, Tribusiky, Pickett, Fields along with an aging Wilson and an even older Rodgers offer a wide spectrum in terms of talent and pedigree.

  • The only one with a losing record in Pittsburgh was Trubisky.

The rest have losing records in their post-Steelers lives, and Hodges, who was .500 as a Steelers starter, couldn’t even secure a spot on another team’s practice squad.

Enough said.

The 2021 Season

We remember Ben Roethlisberger going out with a bang in 2021 after seven 4th quarter comebacks. He gets  he lion’s share of the credit for the 9-7-1 finish.

But what we forget ’21 Steelers had an offensive line held together with spit, duct tape and bubble gum and a defensive line that had Cameron Heyward playing alongside career backups and practice squanders.

Few credit Mike Tomlin for keeping that team together. But they should.

The 2025 Season

Mike Tomlin’s Yin and Yang was on full display 2025.

During the off season, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan took several calculated personnel risks.

One was that the trio of Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. backed by safety Juan Tornhill could deliver the shutdown secondary necessary to combat Joe Burrow’s video game-like passing attack. On offense, they gambled that Roman Wilson would grow into a legit WR No 2.

  • Burrow didn’t get a chance to test them, but Joe Flacco did and exposed them.
  • Roman Wilson flashed (well, flickered) early on but finished the year inactive.

By season’s end, Mike Tomlin had brought in 3 new defensive backs and moved the pieces around so that only secondary starter was playing in his opening day position. He did something similar at wide receiver adding not one but two cast offs.

Jalen Ramsey, Tua Tagovailoa, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jalen Ramsey sacks Tua Tagovailoa. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.com

The changes resulted in a team that lost 5 of 7 games to close November at 6-6, to one went 4-1 down the stretch and won the AFC Championship.

Sweet Steelers Symmetry

Early in his tenure, a reader asked Ed Bouchette in a Post-Gazette chat to compare Tomlin to his predecessors. Bouchette opined that Tomlin struck him as a cross between Noll and Cowher.

So there’s something poetic about Mike Tomlin finishing with 193 regular season wins, just as Chuck Noll did. And its fitting that Tomin’s Super Bowl record of 1-1 match’s Bill Cowher’s.

Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin, Chuck Noll, Steelers Six Lombardi Trophies, Mike Tomlin Bill Cowher photo

Bill Cowher interviews Mike Tomlin. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Noll and Cowher boast better post-season percentages, yet Tomlin’s regular season squads never swooned to the depths his predecessors touched.

Thank you Mike Tomlin for 1 Super Bowl, 2 AFC Championships, 8 AFC North Titles, 14 playoff experiences and 193 wins.

Thank you for giving us 19 years of a “winning era.”

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Hard Depth: Steelers Beat Bengals 34-12 as Mason Rudolph Rallies Offense, Defense Hits Hard

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The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 34-12 in a wild afternoon at Acrisure.

Exactly 31 days separated the two AFC North rivals from their last meeting, with the Bengals dominating the Steelers in their first encounter in ways which the 33-31 final score could not reveal.

  • The results were quite different this time.

When why, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin coyly explained, “I don’t know that we changed anything of any significance. I just thought we were more solid today.”

Fair enough. Tomlin would not and should not tip his hand on the schematic changes he and his staff made. But he betrays his coyness with his use of the word “solid,” because the Steelers turned the tables on the Bengals for two reasons: They hit harder and their depth delivered.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers vs Bengals

Mason Rudolph stands tall in the pocket. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

When You’re Down, Hit Harder

What everyone remembers from the first fiasco against the Bengals was that, starting in the middle of the second quarter, Joe Flacco started firing at will against the Steelers defense. And it’s true that Pittsburgh’s defensive backs looked hopeless covering Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

  • But what everyone forgets is that their tackling was just as terrible that night.

The Bengals won the toss and although they were on offense, the Steelers came out hitting. D.K. Metcalf led with a 4-yard catch, Jaylen Warren followed with a 5 yard run, and Connor Heyward with a determined second effort, got 1 yard in Pittsburgh’s Tush Push Lite.

Two plays later, Warren ripped off a 35 yard run, where he broke tackles at the first level and again in the second level. Two plays later, the Kenneth Gainwell took and 11 yard pass into the end zone and Pittsburgh had sent a message – they were going to be physical.

  • Physicality didn’t simply extend to the Steelers ground game.

The Steelers hit Darnell Washington 4 times, and on each occasion barreled through Cincinnati’s secondary, almost daring Bengals defenders to hit him.

Darnell Washington, Barrett Carter, Steelers vs Bengals

Darnell Washington dumps Barrett Carter. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Steelers defense of course, laid in the most important hits of game.

About midway through the first half, a Flacco pass flew towards Ja’Marr Chase and just barley missed the target. Jalen Ramsey didn’t hold back and laid in the wood just the same. The play didn’t draw a flag, but it could have, and I thought back to a anonymous quote Jim Wexell shared about the team’s plans to stop Tom Brady in the 2016 AFC Championship game – “We’re going to hit him whenever we can and take the 15 if necessary.”

The thought flashed through my mind a few plays later when T.J. Watt got flagged for a late hit on Flacco – their plan is to make him pay (no, Watt didn’t deserve the flag – that’s called a make up call boys and girls.)

The ease with which the Bengals scored their first touchdown revealed the defense still has its vulnerabilities. But the Steelers responded by proving it retains its ability to hit hard, and that’s why the Bengals never saw the end zone again.

Back Ups Answer the Call

While it’s not the way the NFL’s marketing arm would like to tell the story, winning in pro football oftentimes comes down to who weathers the battle of attrition better (see the Killer Bees’ penchant playoff injuries.)

The Steelers came into the game missing Darius Slay and Alex Highsmith. During the game they’d lose Ke’Shawn Williams, Aaron Rodgers and Jaylen Warren.

  • Mason Rudolph responded by completing 75% of his passes, a touchdown and 127 yards
  • Kenneth Gainwell and Kaleb Johnson only added 39 yards on the ground, but Gainwell had 81 through the air
  • Nick Herbig sacked Flacco at Pittsburgh’s 18, pushing him back 7 yards

Flacco was so frazzled, he took a delay of game penalty and threw and incompletion and the Bengals settled for a field goal.

Substitutes Rewrite New End Script

The Steelers biggest wins this season, against Minnesota in Dublin and two weeks ago against the Colts against Acrisure had a common thread: The both got close, at least cosmetically, at the end.

Two substitute Steelers saw to it that Pittsburgh wrote a new ending to that script against the Bengals.

When the Steelers made their final roster cut down to on August 26th, James Pierre got a visit from “The Turk” while Kyle Dugger was a member of the New England Patriots. If the hard hits of the Steelers defense kept Pittsburgh ahead the entire afternoon, Dugger and Pierre’s big plays muzzled any hint of a Bengals comeback.

While the offense had looked good under Mason Rudolph during the second half, the only points it had managed by the end of the third quarter were a Chris Boswell field goal. The Bengals were maneuvering into Pittsburgh territory when, on third down with the pressure getting to Flacco, Kyle Dugger was in robber coverage and picked of Flacco’s pass, taking it to the house for 73 yards.

Kyle Dugger, Steelers vs Bengals

Kyle Dugger takes it to the house. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Bengals responded with a field goal, and the Steelers answered with a long, clock-consuming drive that ended in Gianwell’s second touchdown.

Only 3:40 remained and the Steelers held a 27-12 lead, but we’ve seen this team ensure that games remain interesting to the very end. That didn’t happen this time. On the first play after the Gainwell’s touchdown, Flacco hit Noah Faint for 5 yards. Brandon Echols forced a fumble, which James Pierre returned for a 34-yard touchdown.

Pittsburgh Keeps Pace in the AFC North

The win improved the Steelers record to 6-4, giving them a crucial AFC North win and allowing them to keep pace ahead of the Baltimore Ravens, who extended their winning streak to 4.

Next week brings them to Chicago against the Bears, with tough games against the Lions, Bills and of course the Ravens awaiting them. As the weather turns colder the Steelers would do well to lean into the lesson learned against the Bengals: When in doubt, hit harder.

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Steelers Report Card for Win Over Colts: Sustain Good Study Habits Edition

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taken from the gradebook of a teacher hoping his students can sustain the good study habits learned in the last week, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2025 win over the Colts at Acrisure.

Pat Freiermuth, Mekhi Blackmon, Steelers vs Colts

Pat Freiermuth with the go ahead touchdown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers was 25 of 35 for 203 yards, with one touchdown and zero interceptions. At times Rodgers seemed frustrated with his receivers, which isn’t good. However, he did not force any balls the way he had in the previous two weeks. Grade: BSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren scored two touchdowns, but he only managed 31 yards on 16 carries. Kenneth Gainwell had 3 carries for negative 1 yards. Kaleb Johnston had 1 carry for 4 yards, while Connor Heyward managed 4 yards on his tush push. Both Gainwell and Johnson made drive-sustaining catches. Grade: C-

Tight Ends
Once again tight ends absorbed the majority of the targets, with Darnell Washington bringing in 4 of 6 balls thrown his way for 43 yards, Pat Freiermuth caught 3 of 5 thrown for 27 yards his way including a touchdown. Jonnu Smith caught 3 of 5 for 25 yards. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
Calvin Austin led receivers with 5 catches for 56 yards with the Steelers scoring on each drive he caught a pass on. D.K. Metcalf caught 2 passes for 6 yards. Roman Wilson only had one catch which should have ended the game, but unfortunately he fumbled. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
Aaron Rodgers was sacked 3 times, but generally had good time to throw. The Steelers running game never go into gear. How much of this is due to Isaac Seumalo’s injury and how much of it is the Colts scheming to prevent the Steelers from playing a ball control offense is unknown. Either way the Steelers will need better line play down the stretch. Grade: C-

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward tipped two passes and made 4 tackles. Keeanu Benton had 5 tackles and a sack. Derrick Harmon helped stuff Jonathan Taylor, helped run down Tyler Warren from behind, and on the very next play recovered a fumble. Grade: A-

Linebackers
How good were the linebackers? Alex Highsmith dropped Taylor for a loss on his first carry, knocked away a would-be first down pass, sacked Daniel Jones, and then strip sacked him in the 4th quarter. Not bad for a guy many wanted to bench a week ago. T.J. Watt’s strip sack shifted the course of the game. Rookie Jack Sawyer intercepted a batted pass.

But you know what? The best linebacker on the field was Payton Wilson who was all over the field with 13 tackles, two deflected passes and an interception which set up the go ahead touchdown. Grade: A

Alex Highsmith, Daniel Jones, Alex Highsmith strip sack Daniel Jones, Steelers vs Colts

Alex Highsmith strip-sacks Daniel Jones. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Secondary
Jalen Ramsey’s move to free safety provided critical stability for an ailing unit. His hard hitting also set the tone for the entire defense. Joey Porter Jr. batted away four balls, made a sack, and caught an interception, but his pass interference penalties continue. Darius Slay had a solid game after two very shaky weeks. Brandon Echols played well. Grade: B+

Special Teams
Corliss Waitman had 5 punts averaging 50 yards, but with no touchbacks and two landing inside the 20. Ke’Shawn Williams hasn’t broken a kick or punt return yet, but he’s flashing that ability. Chris Boswell was perfect. The Steelers special teams did however, get caught with their pants down on a fake punt. Grade: B-

Coaching
At first glance, Arthur Smith’s offense’s stats look rather anemic. Except perhaps for the score.

By a lot of measure’s, Smith’s offense had a tough day. Mike Tomlin described it as “running on the beach.” While the difficulty the Steelers had in rushing the ball is cause for concern, Smith’s unit did what a competent offense is supposed to do: Turn turnovers into touchdowns.

As he did at times last year, Smith found a way to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Teryl Austin may not have taken the brunt of the heat for the defensive collapses against the Bengals and Packers, but the criticism he weathered was blistering. In the face of that, and missing 3 of five safeties he started the season with, Austin put together a game plan that, when executed shackled the league’s most potent offense.

Jonathan Taylor looked nothing like the player that the NFL had been watching revived the concept of Franchise Running back in real time. Along the way, Austin’s defense secured 5 turnovers against a team that had given up 6 all season long.

Last December, the late, great Craig Wolfey worried that the Christmas loss would be a “cheese grater game” for the Steelers. Wofley was right. The twin losses to the Bengals and Packers carried that same “cheese grater potential.”

  • Mike Tomlin made sure that did not happen.

The Steelers arrived at Acisure with as much focus as fight. Penalties were a non-factor. Even as the Steelers gave up three 4th down conversions, one a quick touchdown, and failed at their own 4th and goal situation, it never felt like they were losing control of the game.

Tomlin needs to ensure his men can maintain that focus in the weeks to come, but he’s make a good start. Grade: A

Kyle Dugger, T.J. Watt, Jonathan Taylor, Steelers vs Colts

You Shall Not Pass! Kyler Dugger & T.J. Watt stuff Jonathan Taylor for no gain. Photo Credit: Taylor Oallson, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
One week ago this man was under the employ of the New England Patriots. He didn’t put on a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform until Thursday, which is when the Steelers found out they were going to need him. Kyle Dugger came in on 3 days practice and helped stabilize an ailing secondary and for that he win the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 win over the Colts at Acrisure.

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Rebound! Steelers Defeat Colts 27-20 with 6 Turnovers

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Reeling from successive, humiliating losses, the Pittsburgh Steelers rebounded to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 27-20 at Acisure Stadium. And folks, the game wasn’t as close as that final score suggests.

  • Now raise your hand if you DIDN’T see that coming. [Mine’s raised.]

Winning this one was about more than just getting back into the W column for the Steelers. The Indianapolis Colts have been the class of the NFL this season. They’ve haven’t simply been good. They’ve been unstoppable. For the last two weeks, the Steelers defense hasn’t stopped anyone.

The 6 turnovers that the Steelers secured will hog the headlines for this win. And yes, those turnovers were critical. But it was the focused, sound fundamental football the Steelers played that laid the foundation for those turnovers and the victory.

Payton Wilson, Segun Olubi, Steelers vs Colts

Payton Wilson intercepts Daniel Jones. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Strong Focus = Sound Fundamentals

Football is an emotional game.

Emotions carry teams to heights they never expected to reach. Emotions come with costs. As legendary Washington, DC sports radio journalist Ken Beatrice repeatedly reminded listeners, teams motivated primarily by emotions are subject to both “tremendous highs and tremendous lows.” (Think Jerry Glanville’s Oilers or Buddy Ryan’s Eagles.)

Cincinnati and Green Bay’s offenses had devastated Pittsburgh’s defense. It was Mike Tomlin’s duty to ensure devastation of defense didn’t debilitate the entire team.

  • A handful of early plays show how he was successful in doing that.

After forcing a Steelers three-and-out, the Colts offense went immediately to work, marching down the field reaching Pittsburgh’s 7 in just three minutes. Tight ends have tortured the Steelers defense this season, and on 3rd and 2, Daniel Jones targeted Colts tight end Tyler Warren.

Jalen Ramsey having none of that, Jalen Warren laid in the wood:

Jalen Ramsey, Tyler Warren, Steelers vs Colts

Jalen Ramsey lays in the wood on Tyler Warren. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

Warren only got 1 of the 2 yards he needed.

22 plays, 11 minutes and 2 possessions later, a similar scene unfolded. On third and 8 Jones targeted wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. Brandon Echols hit him immediately. Mitchell neither moved nor went down. Darius Slay joined him. Mitchell remained standing. Kyle Dugger hit him next. At that point it was clear that Mitchell was going down, but Patrick Queen added his push to make sure the pile fell backwards. It did.

Darius Slay, Brandon Echols, Kyle Dugger, Adonai, Patrick Queen, Steelers vs Colts

Darius Slay, Brandon Echols and Kyle Dugger gang tackle Adonai. Photo Credit: Alysia Rubin, Steelers.come

Mitchell only got 7 of the 8 yards he needed.

Context is critical here.

After Ramsey’s hit, the Colts converted a 4th down, ran several plays, then converted another 4th down to score. The Steelers offense sputtered (again), but Brandon Echols recovered a muffed punt. But the Steelers offense couldn’t punch it in on their own 4th down try.

  • None of that deterred the Steelers defense.

After the Echols, Slay, Dugger, Queen gang tackle, the Colts converted another 4th down. Nine plays later after the Colts had reached Pittsburgh’s 38, T.J. Watt strip-sacked Daniel Jones for the game’s second turnover.

This time and the Steelers offense hit pay dirt. Aaron Rodgers marched them down the field smartly, on a drive that included a Connor Heyward tush push and a finished with a one-yard Jaylen Warren touchdown.

The Steelers defense had given up an opening drive touchdown. Allowed 3 4th down conversions. The offense had punted twice. It had failed to convert a special teams turnover into a touchdown.

  • Yet, with 6 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, the Steelers had tied the game 7-7.

And there’s a reason why they’d never be behind again….

Teryl Austin’s Defense Tames Taylor

Jonathan Taylor has attacked the NFL this year like a franchise running back from yesteryear. “What’s a ‘Franchise Running Back’?” you ask? Google names like Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, or if you want to prioritize Pittsburgh Franco Harris or Jerome Bettis.

The concept of a “Franchise Running Back” has faded over the last 15 years as NFL teams and fantasy football fans have focused on the passing game. But as Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry did in 2024, Jonathan Taylor is threatening to revive the concept in 2025.

In just 9 games he’s scored 14 touchdowns, or 1 more than Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis scored in all of 2004. He’s also already rushed for 895 yards, just 45 fewer than Bettis rushed for in all of ’04.

But that 45 yard figures 45 carries a touch of irony, as that’s Taylor’s total yardage against the Steelers. Here’s how his first set of carries against the Steelers went:

  • Tackled for a 1-yard loss on 1st and 10 by Alex Highsmith
  • Tackled by Keeanu Benton after gaining 2 yards on 4th and 1
  • Gained 4 yards on 2nd and 5 only to be tackled by T.J. Watt

Down 10 to 7 at the half, the Colts wisely tried to begin the 2nd half by putting the game into Taylor’s hands. On their second play from scrimmage on 2nd and 2, they handed it to Taylor – Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton stopped him for a gain of one. The Colts immediately went back to him on 3rd and 1. Benton and Payton Wilson stopped him for no gain.

T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Jonathan Taylor, Steelers vs Colts

T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith tame Jonathan Taylor. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

Taylor’s best series came late in the third quarter. He pounded out 5 and 7 yard runs on successive carries. Then he got stopped for no gain. Daniel Jones threw and incomplete pass and then converted a 4th and 3 with a 16 yard pass. Taylor then ripped of a 9 yard run.

On the next play, Payton Wilson deflected a pass which rookie Jack Sawyer hauled in. Six plays later the offense was finding the end zone for a third time.

Yes, it was that kind of a day for the Indianapolis Colts.

Opportunistic Offense

Fantasy Football owners who focused on starting Pittsburgh Steelers this week likely came away disappointed.

Jonathan Taylor actually out rushed the Steelers entire offense with 7 more yards, with Jaylen Warren getting 31 of those on 16 carries.

D.K. Metcalf had two catches for 6 yards. The only time the Steelers offense went the length of the field on its own was at the tail end of the first half, and on that drive they were forced to settle for a Chris Boswell Field goal.

But, as it so often does, winning in the NFL hinges on capitalizing on your opponent’s mistakes.

Calvin Austin, Steelers vs Colts

Calvin Austin hauls one in. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Steelers.com

And that’s something that Arthur Smith’s offense did with tremendous efficiency. The Steelers offense transformed 4 of Indianapolis’ 6 turnovers into points, three of which were touchdowns. IN truth, there were no superstars on offense for the Steelers.

Yet, Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, Darnell Washington, Calvin Austin, and Pat Freiermuth all came up with critical plays when their numbers were called.

Steelers Must Maintain Focus Moving Forward

The Pittsburgh Steelers needed this win. But it’s even more true that the defense needed this kind of win. The unit hadn’t just suffered figurative knockouts at the hands of the Bengals and Packers, the secondary was hemorrhaging safeties so badly that new arrival Kyle Dugger had to start.

But by focusing on fundamentals, the Steelers set themselves up to secure 5 turnovers and delivered a shut down performance against the NFL’s offensive juggernaut.

  • Credit last week’s whipping boys Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin for the turnaround.

Now they must see that the team sustains that. When asked if his team had turned a corner Mike Tomlin retorted:

“We keep writing that story. We responded today. See you next week.”

That’s exactly attitude the Steelers need to take away from the win over the Colts.

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Expect the Unexpected: Steelers Lose to Bengals 33-31 @ Paycor

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The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived at Paycor Stadium riding a 3-game winning streak and left dropping a 33-31 decision to the Cincinnati Bengals. The loss left Steelers Nation with two bitter pills to swallow:

  • Pittsburgh’s 45-year losing streak in Thursday Night division road games continues
  • The Steelers will not win the AFC North in 2025 in a walk

This was a game defined by unexpected twists, both of which might reveal a little insight into these 2025 Steelers. One of those twists is amounted to a pleasant surprise, while the other is outright alarming.

Ja'Marr Chase, Payton Wilson, Dehon Elliott, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals Thursday Night Football

Neither Payton Wilson nor can stop Ja’Marr Chase. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

20 Minutes of Meeting Expectations

The Cincinnati Bengals were reeling. They’d lost three straight. Their offensive line was supposedly weak, their defense soft.

In contrast, the Steelers had won three. They were they looking sharper each week. And unlike other winning streaks in the post-Roethlisberger era, the Steelers winning games as opposed finding ways to avoid losing them.

  • So the pundits were favoring Pittsburgh.

During the game’s first 20 minutes those pundits looked pretty smart. Cincinnati won the toss, deferred, and Arthur Smith’s offense immediately made them pay in a 9 play drive highlighted by:

Teryl Austin’s defense laid in without mercy. Cam Heyward swallowed Chase Brown on the Bengals first play holding him to two yards. On the next play, Keeanu Benton and T.J. Watt sacked Joe Flacco. Four plays later, Cincinnati punted.

By the time Chris Boswell was splitting the uprights at the 10:31 mark, the expectation was that Mason McCormick false start penalty that scuttled the Steelers 4th and 1 attempt would be nothing more than a footnote in route to a lopsided victory.

But “Unexpected” waiting in the wings, and looking to strike.

Live by the Turnover, Die by the Turnover?

Throughout this decade, turnovers have been a stable of the Steelers formula for winning. Indeed, the ‘23 defense had an uncanny knack for securing a turnover exactly when the Steelers needed it.

Four elements make turnovers (potentially) transformational events:

1. They rob an offense of a scoring opportunity
2. They shift that scoring opportunity to the opponents
3. They can knock the offending team off balance
4. They can energize a losing team, shifting momentum

Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions in the 2nd quarter. The Cincinnati Bengals took command of the game by exploiting all four of the above elements. Bengals defensive back Jordan Battle’s fingerprints were still fresh on the ball when Cincinnati unleashed…

Chase Brown, Deshon Elliott, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

DeShon Elliott chases Chase Brown. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Chase Brown, who instantly gashed the Steelers defense for 37 yards. Two plays later, Joe Flacco reached Tee Higgins in the end zone to give Cincinnati the lead.

There were lots of ways a smart analysts could see the Cincinnati Bengals upsetting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night.

  • Precisely none of them featured Chase Brown averaging just under 10 yards a carry.

Teryl Austin and Mike Tomlin found a way to limit Brown, but he’d done his damage – he’d knocked the Steelers defense off balance, opening the door rest of the Bengals offense streamed through.

Do Steelers Have a Secondary? Or Is it a Sieve?

Going into the game Mike Tomlin made no bones about the fact that he and Omar Khan went out and signed Darius Slay and traded for Jalen Ramsey to accompany Joey Porter Jr. and keep pace with Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.

  • To be fair, Jalen Ramsey did force a field goal by batting away end zone pass away from Tee Higgins.

That was good. But outside of that, the Steelers might has well have been fielding Alvoid Mays, Donnell Woolford and Antwon Blake at cornerback with Travis Davis and Scott Shields manning down safety.

Joe Flacco connected with Ja’Marr Chase to put up a Nintendo like 16 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown. In the rare moments when Flacco failed to find Chase, he hooked up with Higgins, Andrei Iosivas or Noah Fant with unsettling ease.

Tee Higgins, Chuck Clark, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Tee Higgins runs over Chuck Clark. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Going into the game, the expectation of a 342 yard passing day by Flacco would have indicated either a Bengals blowout or a lot of garbage time glory.

But what no one expected was the shoot out that ensued.

Tight Ends Get Steelers Out of a Tight Spot

Credit Amazon’s Kirk Herbstreit for asking the quiet question out loud after the Steelers feel behind by 10 points midway through the third quarter: “How can the Steelers comeback with this offense?”

Herbstreit wasn’t throwing shade when he observed that D.K. Metcalf was the offense’s only legitimate receiver and then openly dismissed Scotty Miller and Roman Wilson. Arthur Smith certainly didn’t hear Herbstreit’s comments from the booth, but he certainly pulled an unexpected answer out of his sleeve:

  • He unleashed his tight ends.

The proposition that Pittsburgh could use their tight ends to offset a thin depth chart at wide receiver was an iffy one going into the season. But numbers don’t lie:

  • Darnell Washington had 3 catches for 2 yards – but one of those was for a touchdown
  • Jonnu Smith had 3 grabs for 28 yards and a touchdown
  • Previously invisible Pat Freiermuth exploded for 5 catches for 111 yards and 2 TDs

Smith’s tight end-centric passing game might not be sustainable, but for a night it worked against the Bengals.

In fact, it might have worked a little too well….

Thou Shalt Not… Run?

The Steelers losing streak in Thursday Night division games began on December 4th, 1980 with a 6-0 loss to the Houston Oilers in the Astrodome. The game was proverbially ‘past my bed time” so I didn’t get to see it.

But I remember my older brother telling me in the morning before school, “It was a tight game all the way.” When I heard the 6-0 score I asked, “Why didn’t they just throw it to Swann?” “They tried to get it to Swann but couldn’t,” my brother explianed.

Later that night I saw highlights on Washington’s Channel 9 local news, Maureen Bunyan* confirmed that “…and there were no Bradshaw to Swann game saves” and that the loss locked the Steelers out of the AFC Central race, likely meaning no One for the Thumb.

That memory introduces a bit of irony because Lynn Swann’s number was 88 which Pat Freiermuth wears today.

Number 88 featured prominently on Pittsburgh’s final possession, but 30 is the number coaches should have focused on.

  • Jaylen Warren had run like a back begging to take over a game.

Yet, Arthur Smith went with an empty set on first down with just over 2 minutes left, targeting Darnell Washington for naught. Smith still could have called a running play on second down. Instead he remained in an empty set and Broderick Jones got called for holding on second down.

Calling a pass play on 2nd and 20 made sense. But it also had unintended consequences.

Pat Freiermuth, Jordan Battle, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Pat Freiermuth stiff arms Jordan Battle en route to the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

And there, Aaron Rodgers found a wide-open Pat Freiermuth who raced 68 yards to the end zone putting Pittsburgh ahead. For the moment.

  • There was still 2:21 seconds left on the clock – far too much time.

Joe Flacco did what he’d done all evening – play catch Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, storming down the Pittsburgh’s 7 at a leisurely pace. There, they took several knees to kill the clock and kicked a field goal, leaving the Steelers with just 7 seconds for one desperate Hail Mary.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is you simultaneously end a 3 game regular season winning streak and continue a 45 year Thursday Night Football losing streak.

*DC area residents from that era will note that this of course makes no logical sense. Maureen Bunyan was the co-anchor while Glenn Brenner did sports. But that’s how my memory tells the story. So that’s how we tell it here.

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Steelers Report Card for Win Over Browns: Struggling to Keep Up on a Short Week Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who is next to certain that he’ll fail in his assignment to keep this short on a short week, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2025 win over the Browns at Acrisure.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Browns

Jaylen Warren runs to daylight. Photo Credit: Alyissa Rubin, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers went 21-30-235 for 2 touchdowns. Keeping it real, Rodgers missed a few throws that contributed to a touchdownless first half. But he more than made up for it with laser strikes to the end zone in the 2nd half. And Rodgers deft management at the line of scrimmage has kept elite defensive coordinators rocking on their heels for 2 straight weeks. Grade: B+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
It was back to the future for Generation X Steelers fans as offense deliberately incorporated 3 running backs into the game plan. Jaylen Warren led the group with 52 yards on 11 carries, followed by Kenneth Gainwell who got 22 on 6 carries and Kaleb Johnson who got 15 on 6 tries. All of this came against the NFL’s best rushing defense. Warren and Gainwell added for 2 catches and each running back banged out at least one long run. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington opened the game with a 36 yard pass and finished the day with 3 grabs for 62 yards. Pat Freiermuth had one catch for 11 yards, and Connor Heyward came up with another for 12 yards, and a touchdown. The tight ends blocking efforts were also critical to the success of the offense. Grade: A

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf had 4 catches for 95 yards all of which were chunk plays, one of which was the decisive touchdown. The only other receiver to get a target was Roman Wilson, who caught 1 pass for 11 yards. That helped set up a score. Grade: B

Connor Heyward, Steelers vs Browns

Connor Heyward with the first touchdown of the day. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Offensive Line
Aaron Rodgers was not sacked and the Cleveland Browns only touched him 3 times. 3 rushers had carries for double digit carries and another had a 9 yard run. Yes, the unit had help from the tight ends and Spencer Anderson again appeared in the Jumbo Package. No, the team couldn’t quite run out the clock. But this was a strong performance against a good defensive front. Grade: B+

Defensive Line
The individual stat sheet might look a little sparse outside of Derrick Harmon’s sack. But stat to focus on is Cleveland’s 3.8 yard-per-carry average. The Steelers needed to make the Browns one-dimensional. And they did. Oh, and Daniel Ekuale dropped into coverage Esezi Otomewo paving  the way for a Dick LeBeau style zone blitz sack. Grade: A-

Linebackers
T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith are all credited with parts of sacks by ESPN. Watt also tipped a pass to force a punt. Patrick Queen was laying in the wood while Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb quietly put in good days. Grade: A

Secondary
Jalen Ramsey had two sacks his 4th and 5th out of 139 career games. No one got an interception, but DeShon Elliott, Daruis Slay, and Joey Porter all got their hands on passes, as did Juan Thornhill. Its been said that the Steelers 6 sacks were in large part due to Dillion Gabriel holding on to the ball too long – there’s a reason why they’re called coverage sacks. On a day when the Browns threw for over 50 passes, they didn’t cross the 50 until the end of the first half, and then didn’t reach the Red Zone until late in the 4th quarter – where they got shut down. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell knocked in 3 field goals and missed another due to the turf. Corliss Waitman only punted twice, but one went for 20 yards. Ke’Shawn Williams opened with a phenomenal punt return that got called back for a penalty. Williams and Gainwell did well on kick returns and coverage was solid. Grade: B-

Coaching
Arthur Smith took a lot of heat last year for failing to turn a Steelers offense that had been stuck in schematic purgatory since the days of Matt Canada and Randy Fitchner. We saw glimpses of what he wanted to do last season, but desire failed to connect with results far too often.

The Browns may be 1-5, but they have what may be reguarded as the NFL’s best defense. Per Bob Labriola:

…the Browns came into the game ranked first in the NFL in total yards passing allowed, first in rushing yards per game allowed, and fourth in average gain per rush. They were fourth in sacks per pass attempt, and second in first downs allowed per game.

And Jim Schwartz is regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the game. Yet Arthur Smith’s offense took control of the game and never relinquished it.

The Browns offense, suffice to say, isn’t remotely in the same category as their defense. Nonetheless, Teryl Austin’s defense did what it was supposed to do against a weaker unit – force them to be one dimensional and keep them out of the end zone.

  • After six weeks, the Steelers stand at 4-1 and with a lead over the AFC North.

That’s good, but its not what’s encouraging about the Browns win. Its that the Steelers continue to get better each week, and Mike Tomlin deserves credit for that. Grade: A-

Jonnu Smith Denzel Ward, Steelers vs Browns

Jonnu Smith with 1 of his 3 catches. Photo Credit: Alyssa Rubin, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
The Steelers wide receiver depth chart is thin. And they’re were down a man against the Browns. Such situations requires coaches to get creative. But to do that, they need players who are versatile. This player converted a first down with his first catch, started a scoring drive with his second, and ran for then yards sustaining the Steelers first touchdown drive and for that Jonnu Smith wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Browns at Acrisure.

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Win in the Trenches: Steelers Beat Browns 23-9 @ Acrisure Stadium

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The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-9 at Acrisure Stadium, improving their record to 4-1 and lengthening their lead in the AFC North.

This win had an unfamiliar feel to it, and that unfamiliarity doesn’t simply stem from the fact that the Steelers controlled all three phases for 60 minutes. While that’s a positive on its own merits, the “why” behind that control is most important and the Steelers controlled the game because they won the battle in the trenches.

T.J. Watt, Dillion Gabriel, Steelers vs Browns

Even 3 Browns can’t stop T.J. Watt. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Embracing AFC North Football

The game against the Browns gave the Steelers their first taste of AFC North Football since the Ravens Ridiculed them in the playoffs. As former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher admonished after that game, it wasn’t so much that the Ravens won, its in the way they won.

Baltimore beat the Steelers that day because the Ravens won and the Steelers lost in the trenches in equal parts. Baltimore was bigger, stronger, faster and better in every possible way that night.

  • Let’s acknowledge that the Cleveland Browns are hardly the class of the AFC North.

To find a time when they were, you’d have to hop in your DeLorean and go back to 80’s when it was the AFC Central, when in fact we were actually watching Doc Brown and Marty McFly on the silver screen and complaining how $5.00 movie tickets were a ripoff.

IF that’s true, then it’s also true that the Browns are fairly strong where AFC North teams must be strong – on the defensive and offensive lines.

Cleveland brought the NFL’s top rushing defense and resident game-wrecker Myles Garrett to Pittsburgh and dared the Steelers control the line of scrimmage.

  • As we will see, Arthur Smith’s first accepted and then vanquished that challenge.

On the other side of the field, Teryl Austin’s defense entered the game with one simple objective: Force the Browns to try to beat him with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has been a legitimate bright spot for the Browns, already drawing comparisons in some quarters to Nick Chubb.

While Cleveland’s offensive tackles might not scare anyone, their interior line is strong and one of the reasons the Steelers lost in last year’s trip to the shores of Eire. The Steelers run defense proved to be up to the task, limiting Judkins to 36 yards, and the Browns to 65 in total.

That in turn resulted in Gabriel throwing 52 passes – just what Austin and Mike Tomlin wanted.

Mr. Smith Goes to Pittsburgh

Bemoaning the offensive coordinator is one of Steelers Nations’ favorite pastimes. It was true (for good reason) in the days of Joe Walton, Ray Sherman and Kevin Gilbride. It continued to be true during the days of Bruce Arians and Todd Haley.

But it took Randy Fitchner and Matt Canada for Arians Antagonists and Haley Haters to see just how good they had it. Last year was Smith’s first year in Pittsburgh and while it was clear he had a different style, the results were largely the same (see the JV offense fielded in the regular season finale against the Bengals.)

  • In 2025, we’ve seen glimpses of how this Smith’s offense can be different.

And what a refreshing sight it was the see another of the units leaves blossom. Smith set the tone early with a 36 yard play-action pass to Darnell Washington on the opening play. Smith’s message was clear: We may run, we way pass, but regardless, we will be physical.

Darnell Washington, D.K. Metcalf, Steelers vs Browns

Arthur Smith is starting to weaponize Darnell Washington. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Smith committed to the run, dividing carries between Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Kaleb Johnson. Tight end Jonnu Smith also earned 10 yards on a jet sweep. This commitment paid dividends down the stretch. In the second half Warren and Gainwell both posted double-digit carries while Johnson notched one for 9 years.

Forcing the defense to focus on the run, allowed Aaron Rodgers to hit D.K. Metcalf for several “chunk” plays using play action of 20 plus yards. It also helped him set up a touchdown throw to Connor Heyward.

This proved to be the difference for an offense that moved the ball but was forced to settle for 3 field goals in the first half, to a unit that scored two touchdowns and pulled away in the second half.

The foundation for all of this, was of course the offensive line play that neutralized Myles Garrett and rest of Cleveland’s rushers and opened lanes for the running backs.

A Good “Problem” to Have

The Steelers lost Alex Highsmith early in week 2 against Seattle. Nick Herbig took his place and has put up T.J. Watt like numbers since then. With Highsmith returning to full health the question was: What would the Steelers do?

The answer is: Unleash all three.

  • Watt and Highsmith split a sack to force a critical three and out.
  • On another third down Watt batted away a pass to force a punt
  • Herbig dropped Gabriel for an 11-yard loss from 2nd and goal at the Steelers 3
  • Herbig’s sack, combined with a Joey Porter Jr.  knocking away a pass from Jerry Jeudy on third down forced a punt

They had company, Derrick Harmon got a sack while Jalen Ramsey helped wreck the Browns 2nd drive in the first quarter and their penultimate one in the 4th quarter.

Jalen Ramsey, Dillion Gabriel, Steelers vs Browns

Jalen Ramsey with one of his two sacks of Dillion Gabriel. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Steelers defense did more than just throw a pressure party on Gabriel. Darius Slay, James Pierre, and Patrick Queen all tipped away passes at key moments, while Cam Heyward and the rest of the defensive line bottled up Cleveland’s ground attack.

Key Step But a Long Journey Lies Ahead

Winning their first AFC North game is important for the Steelers, but how they were able to win it could prove just as important — and that’s a two sided coin. For the first time all year, the Steelers hurt themselves with penalties. They can’t give quarterbacks more experienced than Dillion Gabriel 2nd and 3rd chances.

But if they can build on their success and discipline away their penalties, then the Steelers will have exited the Browns game with a solid foundation to stand on in the 12 games to come.

 

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