Tag Archives: Payton Wilson

5 Quick Takes on the Steelers Initial 2026 53-Man Roster

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It took 2 trades, cuts of four experienced veterans, 1 surprise injured reserve designation and an unorthodox quarterback decision, but Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy have assembled the Pittsburgh Steelers initial 53 man roster for the 2026 season.

Here are 5 quick takes on their roster decisions which come after a look at the initial roster in its entirety.

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs in the spring of 2026

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

The Initial Pittsburgh Steelers 53 Man Roster

Quarterbacks (4)

Aaron Rodgers
Mason Rudolph
Will Howard
Drew Allar

Running Backs (4)

Jaylen Warren
Rico Dowdle
Eli Heidenreich, Running Back/Wide Receiver
Riley Nowakowski, Fullback

Offensive Line (9)

Troy Fautanu
Mason McCormick
Zach Frazier
Spencer Anderson
Dylan Cook
Max Iheanachor
Gennings Dunker
Brock Hoffman
Ryan McCollum

Tight Ends (3)

Pat Freiermuth
Darnell Washington
Robert Tonyan

Wide Receivers (6)

D.K. Metcalf
Michael Pittman Jr
Roman Wilson
Germie Bernard
Ben Skowronek
Kaden Wetjen

Defensive Line (7)

Cam Heyward
Keeanu Benton
Derrick Harmon
Yahya Black
Sebastian Joseph-Day
Gabriel Rubio
Kevin Jobity Jr.

Linebackers (8)

T.J. Watt
Alex Highsmith
Patrick Queen
Payton Wilson
Nick Herbig
Jack Sawyer
Carson Bruener
Cole Holcomb

Cornerbacks (5)

Jalen Ramsey
Joey Porter Jr.
Jamel Dean
Asante Samuel Jr.
Brandin Echols
Daylen Everette

Safeties (3)

Jaquan Brisker
Robert Spears-Jennings
Rayshawn Jenkins

Specialists (3)

Chris Boswell, kicker
Cameron Johnston, punter
Christian Kuntz, long snapper

Injured Reserve Designated Return

DeShon Elliott, safety
Jack Driscoll, offensive line

1. Take Mike McCarthy at His Word on 4 Quarterbacks

When Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar were the only 3 quarterbacks during OTA’s Mike McCarthy affirmed that “4 quarterbacks would be awesome.” He meant it. For the third time in 21 years, the Steelers are keeping 4 quarterbacks on their initial roster. In 1995 they did it from a position of strength, in 1999 they did it from a position of weakness.

This time it is somewhere in between, but given the dynamics of the room, McCarthy is making the right move by keeping 4 quarterbacks.

2. There’s No Numbers in Safety

The most concerning personnel move the Steelers made was to put DeShaun Elliott on the injured reserve list. Sebastian Castro got cut while Donte Kent is on the PUP list.

That leaves the Steelers with 3 safeties, one of whom is a 7th round pick and another 9-year veteran on his 6th team.

Mike McCarthy has talked about using Jalen Ramsey as a Charles Woodson like chess-piece. I suspect he’ll start 2026 the way he finished 2025 – working as a strong safety.

Jalen Ramsey and DeShone Elliott at St. Vincents in the summer of 2025.

Jalen Ramsey and DeShone Elliott at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images, via SI.com.

3. Steelers Lean into the “Fail Fast” Principle

The first major move that Omar Khan and McCarthy made was to deal 2023’s first round pick Broderick Jones off to Dallas, after just 3 seasons with the Steelers. The duo didn’t stop there, shipping off 2025’s 3rd round pick Kaleb Johnson to Green Bay for a 6th round pick.

During the spring McCarthy promised Johnson a clean slate moving in 2026. And he clearly got a long-look early in training camp.

But he fell out of favor with the coaches and will now follow his NFL dream with the Packers. Clearly neither Omar Khan nor Mike McCarthy are allowing sentimentally to cloud their decisions.

Kaleb Johnson heads for the open field in the Steelers August 2026 preseason loss to the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium.

Kaleb Johnson almost breaks won. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

4. Youth Over Experience

The entire Steelers 2026 draft class has made the final roster. Some of these guys could be headed to IR if veterans are re-signed and this may not be a first, but it is a rare occurrence.

  • Much has been made about the age of the Steelers roster.

And while the average age of the Steelers roster is a bit skewed by the presence of Aaron Rodgers and Cam Heyward, Mike McCarthy and his staff clearly opted for youth over experience.

Veterans such as Dean Lowry, Elandon Roberts, Malik Harrison, Travis Homer and Esezi Otomewo all got visits from The Turk.

Some of these players could be back either in the next few days or after the opener, but McCarthy clearly isn’t beholden to something that a player has done for the team or done in the league in the past, but instead is focused on what he believes players can do in the future.

5. The Ball is in Porter’s Court

The Steelers also had to decide to activate Joey Porter Jr. from the PuP list or keep him there for the first 4 games of the season. The Steelers activated him.

  • In doing so, they put the ball in Porter’s court.

The Steelers would like to extend Porter’s contract, and Porter purportedly wants to stay in Pittsburgh. But the two sides can’t agree on a number.

  • Mike McCarthy, unlike Mike Tomlin, doesn’t seem to have much use for “hold ins.”

Word is the Steelers want Porter to participate in practice before engaging in serious contract negotiations. Now that he’s off the PuP list he has to decide whether he’ll do that or not.

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Steelers Re-Sign Keeanu Benton, Elandon Roberts Returns to Bolster Run Defense

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Omar Khan is breaking out his checkbook again, and this time he’s taking on a bit more risk as the Steelers have re-signed Keeanu Benton to a 4-year 72 million dollar contract.

The contract will pay him an annual average of 18 million, making him the highest paid defensive lineman in Steelers history – in non-adjusted dollars — IF, you judge it as a four-year deal instead considering the 5th year on Benton’s rookie contract.

Keeanu Benton, Steelers vs Buccaneers 2025 preseason

Keeanu Benton blocks a pass. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

The Steelers drafted Benton in the 2nd round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and Benton now becomes the third member of this draft class to earn a second contract. Earlier this spring the Steelers worked out extensions with Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington.

At the time of Herbig and Washington’s extension, word was that the Steelers also were targeting Benton for a new deal, but the agreement did not materialize until now.

Benton has started 40 of his 51 career games and logged seven and a half sacks—for comparison’s sake, Casey Hampton had 9 in his entire career. So Benton has shown he can rush the passer as a nose tackle.

  • If that’s the case, then where’s the risk you ask?

If Benton’s pass rushing prowess is well-documented, his ability to act as a run stuffer—the traditional role of the nose tackle in the Steelers defense—remains a question mark at best.

There were times during the 2025 season when Benton failed the eye test miserably, when opposing offensive lineman tossed him aide like a rag doll. The losses to the Bengals and Bills offer poignant examples. In other games, such as the win over the Colts, he held up better, but consistency continues to elude him.

Look back to the last three playoff losses the Steelers have suffered, and there’s one constant, a sieve-like run defense:

Now, can we hang all of that on Keeanu Benton? Absolutely not. The front office and coaching staff clearly doesn’t. But there’s no way the Steelers can break their playoff losing streak and continue to give up that kind of yardage on the ground. And quality nose tackle play is a must if the cycle is to be broken.

  • And in that light, giving Benton such an aggressive extension does carry some risk.

However, with a new coaching staff, perhaps Benton can learn to defend the run more consistently. And beyond that, signs indicate that his role on the Steelers defensive line could is changing.

Keeanu Benton and Derrick Harmon during the Steelers 2025 win over the Patriots.

Derrick Harmon and Keeanu Benton. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

When the Steelers drafted Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black during the 2025 NFL Draft, Mike Tomlin’s defensive staff insisted that they saw Benton as a nose tackle.

  • True to their word, Benton remained at nose tackle throughout the season.

And while Benton started at nose tackle against the Packers and has worked there during the summer at St. Vincents, the official depth chart lists him as a defensive tackle, and both Black and rookie Gabriel Rubio have gotten time at nose.

On the Steel City Insider podcast, veteran journalist Jim Wexell confirmed that the Steelers long-term plans are to move Benton to defensive end when Cam Heyward begins his “Life’s Work.”

Speaking of Run Defense – Elandon Roberts, The Tooth Chipper Returns

Regardless of whether Benton can find a way to better clog the middle of the field, the Steelers gave their run defense a shot in the arm when they re-signed Elandon Roberts.

Elandon Roberts, Terry McBride, Steelers vs Cardinals

No helmet, no problem, as Elandon Roberts tackles Terry McBride. Photo Credit: Matt Freed, AP via Newsday

Roberts, who had played for the Steelers in 2023 and 2024 and earned himself the moniker of “the tooth chipper,” for his hard hitting play against the run. Surprisingly, Roberts left as a free agent signing with the Oaka… er um, Los Ang… Las Vegas Raiders where he played with current Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson appear to be set as starters at inside linebacker, but with Cole Holcomb, Malik Harrison and Carson Bruener the Steelers have a glut at the position.

Harrison would appear to be the odd man out, as Bruener has been a special teams standout and retains plenty of the proverbial “Upside.”

 

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Steelers-Packers Preseason Priorities: Focus on the Offensive Line and Defensive Spine

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When the Steelers begin their 2026 preseason campaign at Acrisure Stadium tonight against the Packers, all eyes will be on the two extremes of the offense, with the focus on answering two questions:

Mike McCarthy and his staff must gain clarity on both questions during preseason.

Finding out whether Howard and/or Allar has legit long-term potential as a starting quarterback is essential. And if the Steelers 2024 and 2025 seasons taught us anything, it is that a varsity offense requires varsity wide receivers.

Keeanu Benton, Steelers vs Packers

Kennau Benton tackles Aaron Jones. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

But if you really want to understand what will define the Steelers’ ability to not only reach but compete in the playoffs this year, you should keep your focus on the front and center.

  • The “front” being the offensive line, and the “center” being the middle of the defense.

To understand why, let’s look back the Steelers playoff debacle against the Texans and then peer further back into the bowels of Pittsburgh’s famed 3-4 defense.

The Offensive Line’s Eyesore Performance vs. the Texans

Watching the Steelers-Texans game in the cold at outside of Hibernia Bar in Manhattan, my gut reaction was simple:

  • This offensive line just isn’t ready.

The game reminded me of the 2014 playoff loss to the Ravens at Heinz Field. During the 2014 regular season Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin’s commitment to rebuilding the offensive line, after years of “plug and patch,” began to pay dividends.

That year, under Mike Munchak’s tutelage, the offensive line had transformed itself into an asset. But in the playoffs, the Ravens defense revealed that Pittsburgh’s offensive line still needed to mature more.

And so it was in 2025.

The Steelers line started the season a little shaky, and while they never dominated, they clearly improved as the year progressed. But in the playoffs they withered under the Texans’ pass rush, showing that more maturity was needed.

  • With the unit returning four out of five starters everyone expects improvement. But there’s a “but.”

Of the four returning starters, only Zach Frazier will play in the same spot. Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick will move to the left side, Dylan Cook will move to the right and Spencer Anderson, who played primarily on the left, also moves to the right.

Steelers reserve center Ryan McCollum with Aaron Rodgers during the Steelers 2025 win over the Colts.

Ryan McCollum and Aaron Rodgers. Photo Credit: Ed Thompson, SteelersNow

That may not be the opening-day lineup, particularly with Broderick Jones back in the mix, but the coaching staff has established a clear pecking order.

Mike McCarthy, Brian Angelichio and James Campen have enthusiastically moved around the pieces. While nothing about the performance against the Texans screamed, “This isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” moving so many players into new positions still carries a bit of risk.

  • But it also carries potential upside.

My friend and Steel City Insider analyst Matt C. Steel has written extensively about the disservice that NFL coaches can do by moving offensive linemen away from their natural positions, pointing to neuroscience and citing Kevin Dotson as an example, who is playing much better at right guard in Los Angeles than he played on the left in Pittsburgh. (It should be noted that Alan Faneca switched sides in the pros, and his a Hall of Famer.)

But if reshuffling the offensive line deck is what allows the unit to take the next step forward, this decision will pay dividends both this season and beyond. Tonight against the Packers we’ll get our first taste of what’s to come.|

Steelers Piss-Poor Run Defense Hiding in Plain Sight

The ugly nature of the 30-6 home playoff loss to the Texans made it easy to forget an interesting factoid: the Steelers were still within one point early in the 4th quarter until Houston hustled the game away with two defensive scores.

The Steelers defense kept the team in the game while their offense didn’t look like it belonged on the field.

  • But there’s an unpleasant surprise hiding in the stat sheet.

Yes, the Steelers defense earned their stripes, keeping Pittsburgh in the game with turnovers by Brandin Echols, T.J. Watt, and Yahya Black. Sacks by Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton and Jack Sawyer made C.J. Stroud look lost.

  • But one player who found a groove was rookie Texas running back Woody Marks.

Marks ran for 112 yards – his previous best had been 69 yards. Nick Chubb added another 48 yards on 10 carries.

This is important, because Mike McCarthy made no bones about sticking with the 3-4 upon his return to Pittsburgh.

And to understand how alarming those run defense stats are, we need to go back to something former defensive coordinator Tim Lewis once told Jim Wexell: The strength of the Steelers 3-4 defense runs through its spine.

To visualize that, simply remember the days of Casey Hampton, James Farrior and Troy Polamalu and the (6) Super Bowl rings they own.

And the Steelers have questions to answer across the spine of their defense.

  • Can Benton, in a new system, show he’s a true run-stopping nose tackle?
  • If not, is Yahya Black that man, or perhaps even Gabriel Rubio?
  • Are Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson strong enough to man the middle?
  • And who will emerge at safety?

This last question is perhaps the most critical, because Omar Khan has already made several moves at safety.

After watching Kenny Pickett and Company look All World just three Augusts ago, Steelers fans need no reminder that preseason can be deceiving.

But preseason can still offer decent looks at individual position groups. And against the Packers, my focus will be on the spine of the Steelers defense.

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Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Inside Linebacker: Khan’s Work Isn’t Done

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If there is any one position that the Steelers have tied themselves up in knots trying to fill over the last decade, it is inside linebacker.

And no wonder why.  Jack Lambert, Levon Kirkland, and James Farrior were centerpieces of Steelers Super Bowl defenses, while David Little and Ryan Shazier took their teams to Conference Championship games.

The Steelers have made a plethora of moves at inside linebacker since losing Shazier. Some have been fruitful, others have failed.

So the question going into the 2026 NFL Draft is, must the Steelers address inside linebacker again?

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

Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson on the sidelines of the Steelers 2025 win over the Vikings in Dublin.

Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson in Dublin. Photo Credit: Ian Walton, AP, via the Post-Gazette.

The Steelers Inside Linebacker Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Starters

The Steelers made a splash in the spring of 2024 when they made Patrick Queen the 4th highest paid outside free agent in franchise history (kudos to Chris Adamski of the Tribune-Review for this salary cap-inflation adjusted figure. BTW Wayne Gandy was first – ouch!)

No matter how you measure it, the Steelers invested heavily in Patrick Queen and the returns have been mixed. While he hasn’t been a liability, he hasn’t dominated at the level expected and needed of someone with his salary cap number.

Queen is only 26 and would normally be a candidate for a contract extension this summer, but it would be surprising if Omar Khan targets him for one.

Playing alongside Patrick Queen is Payton Wilson.

Payton Wilson, Justice Hill, Payton Wilson interception, Steelers vs Ravens

Payton Wilson intercepts a Lamar Jackson pass. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The Steelers drafted Peyton Wilson in the 3rd round of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Wilson made his presence known fast, making Lamar Jackson pay when he tried to target him in the Steelers upset of the Ravens at Acrisure in 2024. He also recovered a strip-sack by Nick Herbig of Joe Burrow and took it to the house in the road win over Cincinnati.

Since then Wilson has worked himself into the defense increasing his snap count from 45% to 63%. Wilson’s second year was solid – he showed incredible heart and athleticism in running down Jordan Addison  during the Steelers win over the Vikings in Dublin and he authored an incredible game against the Colts, leading the team in tackles and securing his first interception, but his play leveled off after that.

The Steelers Inside Linebacker Depth Chart Entering the 2026 NFL Draft – The Backups

Leading the depth chart at inside linebacker behind the starters is Malik Harrison whom the Steelers signed from the Ravens last spring. Harrison played in 40% of the defensive snaps and overall was a solid contributor on defense.

Cole Holcomb, Davante Adams, Steelers vs Raiders

Cole Holocomb throttles Davante Adams. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

The Steelers opted to bring Cole Holcomb back. They signed Holcomb as a free agent in 2023, and Holcomb was beginning to make a name for himself when a brutal knee injury ended his season and ended up costing him the 2024 campaign as well.

Finally, the Steelers have Carson Bruener whom they drafted in the 7th round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Bruner, the son of former Steelers tight end and current scout made the final roster largely due to his special teams acumen.

If Pro Football Reference’s stats are to be trusted, Bruener only played 1 snap on defense, yet he played 64% of the special teams snaps where he was a demon, recording 17 tackles and winning 2nd team Pro Football Focus All Pro honors.

Steelers 2026 Draft Needs at Inside Linebacker

The Steelers have two solid starters at outside linebacker, two quality backups and a promising developmental prospect.

So they can ignore inside linebacker and focus on other needs, such as guard or tackle in the 2026 NFL draft right?

No, not so fast. The good news is that the Steelers roster at inside linebacker is relatively healthy. Unlike, say wide receiver, they don’t need to add a player with a premium pick in the draft. But they certainly can’t afford to ignore the position, and their experience in 2014 is instructive.

Going into the 2014 NFL Draft, Lawrence Timmons was still going strong, Vince Williams made great progress during his rookie year, Sean Spence was back and Terence Garvin was an interesting developmental prospect who was excelling on special teams.

Inside linebacker was the team’s deepest position and their lowest area of need entering the 2014 NFL Draft – Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert drafted Ryan Shaizer. How right were they? Well, three and a half years later, Shaizer’s injury closed the Roethlisberger Era’s Super Bowl window.

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft needs scale

Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy must take the same mindset at inside linebacker into this draft.

The Steelers don’t need to add an inside linebacker in this draft just as they don’t have anyone on their depth chart who screams “long term answer.” So they’d be wise to add a play maker if they can as their needs going into the 2026 NFL Draft at inside linebacker are Moderate.

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Staying Put: Steelers to Re-Sign Cole Holcomb and Asante Samuel Jr.

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The legal tampering period for NFL free agency has begun and two Steelers free agents will be staying in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers agreed to terms with inside linebacker Cole Holcomb in what is being reported as a 2-year 5 million dollar contract. They also will ink a cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. to a one-year deal valued at 4 million dollars.

Cole Holcomb, Davante Adams, Steelers vs Raiders

Cole Holcomb throttles Davante Adams. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Cole Holcomb had been one of the Steelers marquee free agent signings in the 2023 off season, signaling hope that the franchise’s quest to find stability at this critical position might finally be coming to fruition.

Holcomb earned a starting role and was beginning to prove himself as a difference maker, when he suffered a brutal, season-ending injury in the Steelers win over the Tennessee Titans.

Holcomb missed the entire 2024 season rehabbing his injury, but returned to play in 2025 where he appeared in 14 games, made 3 starts and forced a fumble in the Steelers week 3 win over the New England Patriots.

The San Die… er um, Los Angeles Chargers made Asante Samuel Jr. a 2nd round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He began starting as a rookie and held the starting role for 3 seasons, until injuries ended his 2024 campaign after just four games.

Following that Asante Samuel had spinal fusion surgery which was performed by Dr. David Okonkwo and required a long recovery.

The Steelers were one of the few teams to show interest once he was cleared to play. He joined the practice squad in November and first activated him for the Bills game.

His first start came at Acrisure Stadium against the Miami Dolphins. Samuel intercepted a Tua Tagovailoa pass in the 1st quarter just after the Dolphins had crossed into Pittsburgh territory and the play set the tone for a dominating 28-15 win by the Steelers.

Impact of Holcomb and Samuel’s Return to Steelers

Cole Holcomb was the Steelers only unrestricted free agent at inside linebacker, and his signing shores up depth at this critical position. And assuming that the speculation that Malik Harrison could be a salary cap casualty is unfounded, Holcomb gives the Steelers a ready-to-go option behind Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson.

  • Samuel’s return carries a different impact.

Going into free agency, Joey Porter Jr. is the only Steelers full-time starting cornerback under contract. Samuel gives them depth at this critical position, and along with the signing of Jamel Dean, it also gives Patrick Graham a free hand in deploying Jalen Ramsey where he can be most effective.

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Dolphins – Delivering in December Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher happy to see his students delivering for December football, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the MNF win over the Dolphins at Acrisure.

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

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

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 27 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns. Rodgers commanded the field with the authority of a Civil War General leading a counter-attack at Little Round top. He hit 8 different receivers, engineered a penalty to covert a third down, and threw a pure laser for his second touchdown pass. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell led the unit with 126 all-purpose yards, including 80 on the ground and 46 on 7 passes through the air. At this point, everyone should understand why the coaches have made a concerted effort to work him into the game plan. Jaylen Warren ran for 33 yards on 12 carries and caught 3 passes for 15 yards. Kaleb Johnson had 2 carries for 4 yards. Grade: B+

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth led the unit with 3 catches for 45 yards. Darnell Washington had 3 of his own for 25. Jonnu Smith had 2 catches for 12 yards, but also scored the final touchdown on a 1 14 yard run. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
If you ever question the value of having a “big” wide receiver, look no further that D.K. Metcalf’s touchdown run. HE caught a bullet from Rodgers, and then bullied his way through 3 Dolphin defenders to find the end zone from about 10 yards out.  Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen only caught 2 passes, with Valdes-Scantling going for a score, but clearly the wide outs playing better with him in the lineup. Grade: B+

Offensive Line
The line was playing its 4th string tackle. It lost its starting guard during the middle of the game. Yet the Steelers dominated time of possession, ran effectively, and Rodgers – 2 sacks notwithstanding, had time to throw. A very welcome performance from a unit under duress. Grade: B+

Defensive Line
No Derrick Harmon? No problem. The Steelers contained De’Von Achane. He had some good runs, but nothing like what we saw against the Bills. Cam Heyward continues to lead the unit. He set the tone early with a tackle for no gain and punctuated it with a sack late. Grade: B+

Linebackers
Did you realize that T.J. Watt was out? And that Nick Herbig had to leave? Patrick Queen made a phenomenal tackle for a loss to force a field goal, and Payton Wilson recorded a sack to obliterate any semblance of a comeback. A very good night for the linebackers. Grade: A-

Secondary
Before garbage time kicked in, Tug Tagovailoa completed 6 of 10 passes for 65 yards with an interception and took two sacks. Asante Samuel Jr. got his first interception snuffing out a Miami attempt to get into scoring position. And Jalen Ramsey’s sack forced the Dolphins to punt away their first possession. Not bad for a secondary where Joey Porter Jr. is the only starter who was both on the roster and playing in the same position on opening day. Grade: A-

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect with place kicks, although he did land one outside of the landing zone. Corliss Waitman and a strong night and both the return game and the return coverage was solid. Ben Skowronek was a monster. Grade: B

Coaching
Let’s get this straight. No one would have compared the Miami Dolphins’ defenes to the 85 Bears going into the game. But the unit had been allowing less than 2 touchdowns per game during the resurgence that began at mid season.

Yet Arthur Smith’s unit had its best night of the season and patched together its first game with four consecutive touchdown drives since 2018. Smith needs to find a way to sustain this, but the unit is coming together nicely as the Steelers reach mid-December.

Its also time to give Teryl Austin credit. He went into this game missing two of his best strong-side defenders. And just two weeks ago a James Cook had humiliated the his defense on this same ground.

  • But Austin’s defense owned this night.

Sure, Miami had some nice runs and moved the ball a little to open the game, but Austin adjusted and dominated the Dolphins, effectively shutting them out of the game in the 3rd quarter.

  • Mike Tomlin has taken a lot of heat this season.

While some of the barbs have been unjustified, when the Steelers have swooned low, they’ve looked as bad as any variety of numbers could suggest. But every NFL season has its ups and downs, and December is the time to bring it together. Two games into the month finds Mike Tomlin’s team doing just that. Grade: A

Connor Heyward, Steel City Shove, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolpins MNF

Connor Heyward scores with the Steel City Shove. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerman, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
4 Carries for 4 yards doe not impress on the stat sheet. But when 3 of those converted 3rd or 4th downs and one of those was a touchdown it shows you how stats alone seldom tell the full story. Because of that, a because he caught an on-sides kick that had bounced past the first man, Connor Heyward wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 MNF win over the Dolphins at Acrisure.

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Strike Hard, Strike Smart: Steelers Dominate Dolphins 28-15 on MNF

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On a cold night at Acrisure Stadium, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Miami Dolphins 28-15.

The Steelers emerged with their undefeated streak on Monday Night Football that began in 1992 intact and, more importantly, with an 8-6 record and a one-game lead in the AFC North.

Both teams came to the field with something to prove.

The Dolphins had won 4 straight and 5 out of their last 6 and need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Steelers were on a one-game winning streak, having lost 5 out of their last 8. But Pittsburgh prevailed because with the realities of December football closing in, Mike Tomlin’s team found a way to shift into higher gear while the Dolphins sputtered.

Aaron Rodgers, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Aaron Rodgers flicks it as Minkah Fitzpatrick can only watch. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Dolphins Swing Hard, Steelers Stand Strong

When the Dolphins won the toss and elected to receive, the narrative for this game was a latent storyline waiting to be activated.

Miami had been rushing on anyone and everyone. The Steelers struggled to stop anyone on the ground. The Dolphins defense had been dominating opponents, while the JVness of Pittsburgh’s offense has been on display all season long.

  • But football teams author their own narratives.

And, to that end, there’s one thread that will get lost from this contest: The Miami Dolphins exited their corner swinging hard:

  • Their defense forced a 3 and out on its first go against Pittsburgh’s offense
  • Jordyn Brooks ended Miami’s next drive with a sack of Aaron Rodgers
  • Eleven plays later, Zach Sieler did it again, giving Corliss Waitman his third opportunity to punt
  • On offense De’Von Achane appeared to be finding his footing and building up to a big night

Despite suffering a few misfires, the Steelers yielded nothing, and stood tall. Asante Samuel ended Miami’s second drive with an interception. Pittsburgh ended up punting on the ensuing Steelers drive, but Mike Tomlin threw down the gauntlet by going for it on 4th and 1 at his own 28, and Connor Heyward set the tone for the offense by converting.

Patrick Queen did his part on the next Dolphins drive, dropping Ollie Gorden for a four yard loss on 3rd and 1 at the Steelers 32, forcing a punt.

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Jaylen Warren rushes. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

With just over 5 minutes left Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense went to work. Rodgers methodically moved the Steelers down the field, mixing up passes to Darnell Washington, Jonnu Smith, Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren while Gainwell and Warren advanced on the ground.

When the Steelers faced a 4th and 1 at Miami’s 15, there was no doubt they were going for it, and once again Connor Heyward delivered.

Five plays later, the offense was executing the Steel City Shove for the 4th time that night as Connor Heyward was putting the Steelers up by 4 with his first rushing touchdown.

Steelers Strike Hard, Strike Smart

Taking a 7-3 lead out of the locker room at halftime doesn’t deliver much of an advantage, but it does give you a foothold – if you can hold it. And Pittsburgh Steelers, as we know, have been abysmal during the 3rd quarter in 2025.

  • To remedy that, Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith leaned into the spirit of Ron Erhardt.

Even though Aaron Rodger’s had gone 13 of 14 in the first, half, the Steelers began the second one by feeding the ball to Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. In doing so they fulfilled Erhardt’s philosophy of “Throw to score, run to win.”

The Steelers ran 5 sright times to open the second half, burning nearly 4 minutes off of the clock by the time they reached the Miami 19. There Aaron Rodgers faked the handoff to Gainwell, and then hit Marquez Valdes-Scantling  who was wide open in the end zone, scoring a touchdown on his first catch as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Leaning into your ground game when you’re down 14-3 in the second half is certainly doable, but it isn’t a mode your offense can automatically slip into. So after Cam Heyward stuffed Archane for no gain on Mami’s first play the Dolphins were forced to pass. Tua Tagovailoa managed to find Alec Ingold for 4 yards on second down, but on third down Jalen Ramsey sacked Tagovailoa without even laying a hand on him.

  • It was on the next drive where the Steelers offense definitively shifted into high gear.

Aaron Rodgers converted a third down by catching the Dolphins with 12 men on the field. Gainwell ripped of several 9 yard runs, and Pat Freiermuth caught a chunk pass. From Miami’s 26, Gainwell lost a yard. Then Rodgers missed Freiermuth. But on the next play, he iced the game.

He threw a laser to D.K. Metcalf and Metcalf, then took the ball and stiff armed two Dolphin defenders while beating a third on his way into the end zone.


By the time he finished moving, the Steelers were up 21-0, as the Steelers offense was simultaneously striking smart and striking hard.

Rudolph on the Bench, but Misfit Toys Have Their Day

A little over two years ago, the Steelers had been left for dead, only to have Mason Rudolph come off the bench and lead Pittsburgh to 3 straight wins on Christmas weekend.

Although Rudolph remained on the bench throughout the night, the Steelers team that took the filed in many ways represented the NFL equivalent of the Island of Misfit Toys.

  • T.J. Watt was out.
  • Nick Herbig had to leave the game with an injury.
  • Rookie run stuffer Derrick Harmon was injured and unable to play.
  • James Pierre, who has been improving by the week, missed game due to injury
  • Receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen were practice squad call ups and waiver wire pickups
  • Dylan Cook, their 4th string offensive tackle, started his first game

Yet the Steelers collectively came together and not only found a way to defeat, but dominat the Dolphins. After Metcalf’s touchdown, Payton Wilson ended the Dolphins next drive with a sack. By the time Jonnu Smith opened the 4th quarter by running it into the end zone from 14 yards out, it was icing on the cake.

December Football Has Arrived, and the Steelers Are Delivering

December has become a month of deliveries. The NFL is no exception. As the Steelers so painfully learned last year, either you step up and deliver in December, or you wither on the vine.

  • The Steelers opened December with a win over the Baltimore Ravens, on the road no less.

But, as Jim Wexell has pointed out through the years at Steel City Insider, the Steelers have typically struggled after a win against the Ravens. Instead, Mike Tomlin found a way for a short-handed Steelers team to dominate a Dolphins team coming into Pittsburgh on a hot streak, and fighting for their playoff lives.

That’s good. But it is December and deliveries must continue. Now the Steelers need to find a way to go into the Detroit Lions in their own lair.

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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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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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