Tag Archives: Teryl Austin

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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Steelers Report Card for Loss to Bills – “Free Falling” Edition

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Taken from the gradebook of a teacher humming Tom Petty’s “Free Falling” as he fills out his grade sheet, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the loss to the Bills at Acrisure.

Joey Bosa, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Bills

Joey Bosa strip sacks Aaron Rodgers. Photo Credit: Bills.com

Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers went 10 of 21 for 117 yards – which includes garbage time and was strip-sacked to open the second half. Mason Rudolph again got picked off deep in relief of Rodgers. He returned during garbage time but still did not complete a pass. Grade: FSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren ran for 35 yards on 10 carries and scored a touchdown. He also had 2 catches for 9 yards. Kenneth Gainwell had 5 carries for 20 yards and his stat line of 2 catches for 25 yards might look ho-hum, his 17 yarder was an All Pro grab of a low ball. Kaleb Johnson ran twice for 3 yards in garbage time. The Steelers lost for lots of reasons. The running backs weren’t one of those. Grade: C+

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington led the team in receiving with 2 catches for 45 yards, both of which came in garbage time. Jonnu Smith had one catch for 6 yards and ran the wrong route on another catch. Grade: F

Wide Receivers
In his quest to seemingly become a modern-day Charles Lockett, D.K. Metcalf led the Steelers wide receivers with 3 catches for 32 yards. Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek combined for a grand total of ZERO catches on 5 targets. Grade: F

Offensive Line
Before looking at any numbers, put yourself through a quick eye test: Which offensive line looked like it was playing without its two starting tackles? For the record, the Bills only sacked Aaron Rodgers once and hit him two other times. The Steelers rushing average was respectable. But the Steelers offensive line never dictated tempo, and never dominated. Not only did the line fail to get sufficient push to get 2 yards on 4th and 2 in garbage time – the play lost yards. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Derrick Harmon may not have put up a lot of pretty stats so far in his rookie year, but the Steelers clearly missed him. No one should scapegoat the defensive line for a historically poor performance against the Bills. But they are the first line of defense. Grade: F

Linebackers
Let’s get this straight – the Buffalo Bills entered the game missing both starting tackles, yet the only player to touch Josh Allen was Patrick Queen? Where were T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig? What about Malik Harrison who was supposed to be an elite run stuffer? Grade: F

Secondary
Brandin Echols opened the game with an interception that, in an alternate reality, should have set the tone. Fun fact: Josh Allen only threw for 6 more yards than Aaron Rodgers. Fair enough. He didn’t need to. Grade: D

Special Teams
Corliss Waitman had a strong day punting, pinning the Bills deep twice and booming off a 51 yarder. Calvin Austin had a punt nice return of 12 yards. Steelers solid kick return coverage and average returns. Chris Boswell made his one field goal. Grade: C

Coaching
OK…. Where to start?

How about here: Question for Arthur Smith. Why did Pat Freiermuth get 13% fewer snaps than Jonnu Smith?

To be fair, there’s no obvious correlation between respective workloads for both players and won/loss results. But Pat Freiermuth has an 81% catch rate this year vs 69% for Jonnu Smith, and for those meta state folks, Freiermuth’s “success rate” is 59.4% vs 46.5%.

Let’s be honest here – this Steelers offense has talent issues that Joe Gibbs, an man who wrote the book of “Doing More on Offense with Less,” couldn’t fix in his prime. This offense’s ills are not getting cured by a home remedy of “Feed Freiermuth more” and call me in the morning.

But that’s the point – because he’s got such a dearth of talent, Smith needs to maximize every advantage that he has, and giving Smith priority over Freiermuth provides a perfect example of how Smith fails to do that.

As for the running game, the Bills displayed the type of rushing offense the Steelers want and are very, very far from getting.

As for the Bills rushing offense….

Wow. The Steelers run defense has some high profile struggles this year (see the first  Bengals game). It suffered some hiccups that largely flew under the radar. But successes against the Colts, Chargers and Bears suggested that Teryl Austin’s team had turned a corner.

The Steelers run defense did turn a corner against the Bills – it turned a corner and went the wrong way. Its hard to evaluate the passing defense, because Buffalo barely needed to pass.

Whether you use the “eye test” or choose to base your analysis on hard statistics, the Steelers arrive at December 1st as a team that has regressed in every meaningful way from where they stood on October 1st.

And that’s firmly on Mike Tomlin’s shoulders. Grade: F

Joey Porter Jr., Keon Coleman, Steelers vs Bills.

Joey Porter Jr. tackles Keon Coleman. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Unsung Hero Award
There’s one player who quietly had a good game. You didn’t hear his name much or even see him much – save for the touchdown-saving open field tackles he made, and for that Joey Porter Jr. wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 loss to the Bills at Acrisure.

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Steeler Report Card for Win over Bengals: Substitute Students Edition

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From the gradebook of a teacher pleased to see his substitute students shine here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

Jalen Ramsey, Steelers vs Bengals

Jalen Ramsey lays in the wood. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers was 3-3 on the opening drive including his touchdown pass. On the afternoon he finished 9-15-116 yards and no picks. He also had an impressive 8 yard sprint that extended a drive that ended with a field goal. Mason Rudolph entered the game in the 2nd half and looked sharp, going 12 of 16 for 127 yards an a touchdown. Both quarterbacks managed to lead drives that point 10 points on the board. Grade: ASteelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Jaylen Warren started out looking like a back who might take over the game. And it seemed like the coaches might let him try, as he ran 62 yards on 10 carries before leaving with an injury. Kenneth Gainwell only managed 24 yards on nine carries in relief of Warren, but did catch 7 passes for 81 yards, including 2 touchdowns. Kaleb Johnson 5 carries for 15 yards which doesn’t include and impressive run that was called back by a penalty. Connor Heyward converted 2 first downs via the tush push. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington’s 4 catches for 67 yards might not impress on paper, but he was a force, barreling through reluctant defenders. Pat Freiermuth had one catch for 19 yards. Washington was also a force in the blocking game. Grade: B+

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf had 5 catches for 49 yards several of which were drive extenders. Roman Wilson caught 1 pass for 17 yards converting a third down on the Steelers opening drive in the second half. Calvin Austin caught one pass for 5 yards and drew another pass interference penalty. Grade: B-

Offensive Line
The Steelers only gave up one sack and 3 other quarterback hits. The line also opened excellent holes for Jaylen Warren although Gainwell did not fair as well. Grade: B

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward led the unit in tackles, and overall performance of the unit was strong. If you take the one long run the Bengals had, the Steelers limited them to a respectable average. Grade: B

Linebackers
Patrick Queen led the team in tackles, Malik Harrison helped shore up the run defense, and Nick Herbig had a sack that not only cost the Bengals 7 yards but rattled Joe Flacco enough to cause a delay of game penalty helping force a field goal when it was still an 11 point game. Grade: B+

Secondary
Kyle Dugger’s pick six came at the end of the third quarter and transformed a 5 point lead into a 11 point lead. James Pierre’s fumble return for a touchdown slammed the door shut on even a theoretical Bengals comeback. But those are not the two most impressive stats from this game.
Kenneth Gainwell had more catches and only 12 yards less than Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Combined. It looked like a completely different Steelers secondary in this match up. Grade: A

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was 2-2 on field goals and 4-4 on extra points. Corliss Waitman had a strong afternoon punting, pinning the Bengals down inside the 20 on two of his three punts. Kick coverage was good and the returns were respectable. Grade: B

Coaching
Arthur Smith clearly has a knack for game planning going into contests, as the Steelers improved success in scoring on their first drives demonstrates. However, in the first half his unit struggled to sustain that, with their final scoring drive in that period should be characterized as “heavily penalty-aided.”

Still, it was a solid outing for the Steelers offense. Not only did they finally manage to win the time of possession battle, the offense executed a 12-play, 6-minute drive in the fourth quarter to turn an 11 point lead into an 18 point lead. This was a welcome sight.

This didn’t just look like a different Steelers secondary against potent Bengals offense, it looked like an entirely different defense. Since Joe Flacco’s arrival, Cincinnati’s offense has been a Fantasy Football owner’s dream.

By leaning into Reality Football — hard hitting and smart playing — Teryl Austin’s defense made it a nightmare afternoon for he Bengals.

Pittsburgh Steelers have been run hot and cold during the 2025 season, but after a rough outing on national TV, Mike Tomlin has his team ready, willing and able to play winning football. Grade: A-

T.J. Watt, Joe Flacco, Steelers vs Bengals

T.J. Watt hits Joe Flacco. Photo Credit: T.O. Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
The stat sheet says he only had one tackle, albeit for a loss, 2 tipped passes and one quarterback hit. But that hit was hard. His tipped pass helped set up a third down and on that third down his pressure helped force a pick six, and for that T.J. Watt wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Bengals at Acrisure.

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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 Loss to Bengals: Secondary is NOT a Synonym Edition

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Taken from the gradebook of a teacher admonishing his students that “sieve” and “secondary” should NEVER be a synonyms, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2025 Thursday Night Football loss to the Bengals at Paycor.

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Aaron Rodgers on the move. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers went 23-34-249 throwing 4 touchdown passes on 5 scoring drives. However, he did throw two interceptions. Chalk the second one up to a good play by the DB and a gift from the officials. But the first was a poorly placed ball thrown into double coverage, and the play energized the Bengals. Grade: C+Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Steelers running backs ran for a cumulative 141 yards for a 7.4 average, with Kenneth Gainwell again proving he’s a viable number 2 back in this offense. The running backs also caught 6 passes for 32 yards. The Steelers lost for many reasons, but the running backs were not one of those. Grade: A

Tight Ends
Wow! The Steelers showed that they can not only survive but thrive with a tight-end centric offense, for one night at least. Pat Freiermuth led the group with 5 catches for 111 yards in two touchdowns. Jonnu Smith had 3 grabs for 28 yards and a touchdown. Darnell Washington joined the party 3 catches for 2 yards, but one of those was for a touchdown. Grade: A-

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf had 3 catches for 50 yards including a field flipper that set up the first touchdown. He did lose control of the second interception. Scott Miller had one catch for 9 yards while Roman Wilson had 2 for 17 one of which was a certifiable Kodak moment. Their overall performance was good, but you do expect more than 6 total catches from an NFL receiving corps. Grade: B-

Roman Wilson, Dax Hill, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

One giant leap for Roman Wilson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Offensive Line
Aaron Rodgers was not sacked and only hit twice, per ESPN’s stats. Steelers running backs had ample room to run. Still, two penalties in the Red Zone conspired to force the Steelers to settle for 3 when an additional four would have been a difference maker. And Broderick Jones’ holding call on the penultimate drive forced the Steelers into a throwing situation when it would have been wiser to run. That brings the grade down. Grade: B

Defensive Line
Keeanu Benton opening sack was excellent. As was Cameron Heyward’s late half sack. Unfortunately, those plays were aberrations instead of tone setters. Yet the Bengals, who going into this game couldn’t so much as run a photocopy, averaged 6.2 yards on the ground, with Chase Brown clocking in at 9.8. Heyward described the Steelers run defense as unacceptable. We agree. Grade: F

Linebackers
OK. T.J. Watt had a half sack an arguably should have had a share of Benton’s. Jack Sawyer got a hand on a pass. Outside of that, the linebackers were complicit in the inability to stop the run when it counted and got no pressure on Flacco. Grade: F

Secondary
Looking at his stats down in Miami, one would be hard pressed to argue that he’d be a difference maker, but this is not what anyone had in mind when they traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick. Joe Flacco, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins looked like they were professionals playing against an intramural college flag football secondary. The Steelers secondary was a total sieve. Grade: F

Special Teams
Chris Boswell was perfect on his kicks. Kick coverage was excellent and the return game respectable. Grade: B

Coaching
Let’s start with a positive by crediting Arthur Smith for executing a tight end focused passing game that left the Steelers with the lead with just over 2 minutes to play. That may not work against a good defense, but it did against the Bengals.

It is fair to question Smith’s play calling at the end. With the Steelers needing a touchdown and with over 2 minutes left, Smith went right to the empty set. There’s nothing wrong with passing in those situations, and Rodgers was certainly right to hit Freiermuth when he did, his first two play calls lead one to question whether he even consider a run on a night when the Steelers had proven they could run.

Teryl Austin doesn’t really have any positives to hang his hat on.

Sure, his defense forced a few punts. And he did adjust to stop the run game after the damage had been done, but by outward appearances, that came at the expense of neutering the pass rush.

The Steelers inability to stop the pass was such that I suspect that no one in the stadium, including the coaches, had any faith that Pittsburgh’s defense could stop Flacco’s Nintendo-like arm.

  • Ultimately, that comes to Mike Tomlin.

Judging by his own words, he re-built this secondary to stop the Bengals passing attack. They’ll get at least one more chance later this season. But their first test was an utter failure. Grade: F

Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Jaylen Warren, running like a back begging to take over a game. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Unsung Hero Award
Thursday Night road divisional games have been disastrous for the Steelers. But there is one player whose star shown with brilliance. He only ran the ball 16 times but that was good enough for 127 yards and he had the look of a back begging to take over the game, and for that Jaylen Warren wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers 2025 loss to the Bengals on Thursday Night Football at Paycor.

 

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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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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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Steelers Report Card for Win over Vikings – 4 Leaf Clover Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who extended his summer vacation deep into September, here is the Steelers Report Card for the win over the Vikings in Dublin, Ireland.

D.K. Metcalf, Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers vs Vikings Dublin, Ireland,

D.K. Metcalf explodes for an 80 yard touchdown. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers was 18 of 22 for 200 yards and a touchdown. Rodgers protected the ball and was generally on target, although a miss to Ben Skowronek could have put the game away for good. Grade: A-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Backs
Kenneith Gainwell made his surprise start for the Steelers and delivered a cool 99 yards on 19 carries with 2 touchdowns. He also had 6 grabs for 35 yards. Kaleb Johnson had 22 yards on 6 carries and seemed to gain confidence as he ran. Connor Heyward had 2 yards on a Tush Push carry. Grade: A-

Tight Ends
Darnell Washington led the unit with 3 catches for 20 yards and provided excellent run blocking support. Jonnu Smith had 2 catches for 6 yards. Grade: C+

Wide Receivers
D.K. Metcalf delivered a dominating first half performance. His four non-scoring catches were impactful. After watching his 80 touchdown no one would blame Brian Flores for quadruple covering him. After that it was a quiet day for the wide outs, with Calvin Austin getting two grabs for 13 yards and Scotty Miller and Skowronek coming up for naught on their lone targets. Austin deserves more credit for the block on Metcalf’s touchdown than he’s getting. Grade: B

Offensive Line
It is tempting to look at Aaron Rodgers relatively clean day and Gainwell 5.2 yards per-carry average and proclaim that the offensive line has arrived. But as the good book assures us, we must resist temptation. Yes, the offensive line had its best outing of the season. But the 4th and goal failure as well as the inability to run out the clock bring the grade down. Grade: B-

Defensive Line
Keeanu Benton had a sack and a half, Cameron Heyward and Derrick Harmon both got their hands on passes that were intercepted. The Vikings could not run and were forced to pass. Grade: B+

Linebackers
If anyone had any doubt about how who the leading ass kickers are on this team, the Vikings will assure them that it’s the Steelers linebacking Corps. Patrick Queen set the tone with a sack on third and nine that forced a field goal. T.J. Watt had a sack, set up another Nick Herbig sack and an interception. Cole Holcomb was solid in stuffing the run. Herbig had another half sack with Benton, and forced a critical intentional grounding play. The true star of the unit was Payton Wilson who responded to a demotion by leading the team in tackles, meeting players at the point of attack. And his run down of Jordan Addison showed as much about his passion and commitment to winning as his 22.48 m.p.h. speed revealed about his athleticism. Grade: A+

Payton Wilson, Jordan Addison, Steelers vs. Vikings, Steelers vs. Vikings Dublin Ireland

Payton Wilson runs down Jordan Addison. Photo Credit: Clutch Points.com

Secondary
The fact that someone allowed Addison to slip through the secondary might seem damning enough when it comes to issuing grades. And had the final score differed, maybe it would. But overall the secondary played well, with DeShon Elliott’s return making a notable impact. The Steelers forced the Vikings offense to go one-dimensional and the secondary won more battles than it lost – and that’s not counting two turnovers taken away by replay. Grade: C+

Special Teams
The Steelers return coverage was solid as were the return game. It is easy to criticize Corliss Waitman for booming his final punt through the end zone, but he may have been following instructions. Special teams did give up a blocked kick late in the first half that costing three points that would have made a big difference at the end. Grade: C

Coaching
For the first time in a long, long time, the Steeler fielded a fluid, balanced NFL offense, rushing just three more times than they passed. Those ratios are nice, but what’s more important is that the Steelers did so effectively.

Arthur Smith’s men ran the ball when they needed to run it, and passed the ball with economy when necessary. And they did it against a defense ranks in the top ten in multiple categories.

On the flip side, some who might discount the work that Teryl Austin’s defense did against an offense playing against a retread quarterback and an injury-ravaged offensive line. But no one will do that here. This offense scored 48 points the week before, and you don’t do that in the NFL by accident.

  • The Steelers defense shut down the run and defended the pass effectively.

And while the coverage lapse certainly cannot be overlooked, it is also a correctable mistake.

Seemingly an eternity ago the Steelers traveled to London and got walloped against an inferior Vikings team. It was one of the worst efforts of the Tomlin era. Depending on who you believe, either the Steelers tried to come in early or made their own choice. Regardless, Mike Tomlin proactively managed the travel, all while keeping his team focused on winning the game instead of getting caught up in the hoopla over the first NFL game in Ireland.

Finally, it says here that Tomlin made a mistake in not kicking a late field goal, but in doing so he did what he’s always done – give his players a chance win the game. And they did. Albeit with considerably more drama than desired. Grade: B+

Spencer Anderson, Kenneth Gainwell, Pat Freiermuth, Steelers vs Vikings, Steelers vs Vikings Dublin, Ireland

Spencer Anderson celebrates with Kenneth Gainwell. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.come

Unsung Hero Award
In the pre-digital era, his name wouldn’t even appear on a stat sheet. Even today, you must dig deep to find it. The Steelers ran the ball far more effectively and far more consistently against the Vikings than they have against any team this season. This player only logged 36% of the snaps, but as the 6th tackle you’d have to figure he was a big part of the change and for that Spencer Anderson wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Vikings in Dublin.

 

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Thank You: Minkah Fitzpatrick’s Steelers Career and Legacy at a Glance

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Minkah Fitzpatrick’s Steelers career ended exactly as it started: As a complete surprise.

In September 2019 while traveling on business in San Francisco an update flashed across the SteelersTres60 WhatsApp group announcing that the Steelers had traded their first round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to the Miami Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Surely, this must be a false, this skeptical scribe concluded.

But it wasn’t. The trade was real and a sign that “The Steelers Way” was evolving. So I wasn’t quite as skeptical when the same SteelersTres60 WhatsApp group posted that Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith were soon to be Steelers.

But I never expected the cost of Ramsey and Smith’s tickets to Pittsburgh would be Minkah Fitzpatrick. But in Pittsburgh they are, and Minkah has returned to Miami.

Today we take a look at Minkah’s contribution as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Kameron Kelly, Mark Barron, Steelers vs Rams, Minkah Fitzpatrick's Steelers career

Minkah Fitzpatrick celebrates after returning a fumble for a touchdown. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, Penn-Live

2019: Best 3 Game Stretch by a Steelers DB?

Minkah Fitzpatrick became an immediate starter and logged an interception 11 minutes into the first quarter of his first game against the 49ers. The Steelers lost in San Francisco that day, but Minkah flashed his calling card: Making dramatic, game-changing plays.

Fitzpatrick was quiet for the next three weeks, “only” deflecting two passes. But soon he would strike fear into the hearts of opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.

People forget, but Mason Rudolph looked shaky against the Dolphins early in his first game back following his concussion. A Rudolph interception set up an easy touchdown for Miami, and the Dolphins put up 14 unanswered points in the first quarter as the Steelers struggled.

Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick at the 11:14 mark of the 2nd quarter, and 13 plays later the Rudolph was hitting Diontae Johnson to get the Steelers into the end zone to cut Miami’s lead to 4.

Minkah, Fitzpatrick, Minkah Fitzpatrick interception Dolphins, Steelers vs Dolphins MNF

Minkah Fitzpatrick 2nd interception against the Dolphins. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, PennLive

The Steelers struggled out of the gate to start the 2nd half, as Chris Boswell missed a 54 yarder.

Miami’s offense never had a chance to capitalize. Ryan Fitzpatrick misfired deep on his first two throws, but he found Minkah Fitzpatrick for his third one. 13 plays later Rudolph found JuJu Smith-Schuster in the end zone to put the Steelers up for good.

A week later against the Colts, the Steelers were in a tighter spot late in the first half as the 2-minute warning loomed. Indianapolis had a 10 to 3 lead that they were on the verge of transforming into a 17 to 3 lead. Minkah Fitzpatrick thought otherwise:

The Steelers beat the Colts that day, 26 to 24, with Minkah Fizpatrick authoring what was, at a minimum, 10 10-point swing in Pittsburgh’s favor.

A week later, against the Los Angeles Rams, Mason Rudolph had just made a field-flipping play to James Washington with 2:26 left to go in the first half, only to have Washington fumble. The game was tied and the Rams had a golden opportunity to seize the lead going into half time.

Two plays later, Javon Hargrave strip-sacked Jared Goff as Minkah Fitzpatrick scooped up the loose ball and streamed 46 yards to the end zone.

The play put the Steelers up 14 to 7, the last points the offense would see until Chris Boswell tacked on three with just over two minutes left to play. Oh, Los Angeles did attempt a comeback, but it was stopped after Robert Woods got past Joe Haden only to have Minkah Fitzpatrick intercept his pass with 20 seconds remaining to preserve the 17-12 victory.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have sent Jack Butler, Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, Rod Woodson and Troy Polamalu to Canton to represent their secondary in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But in weeks 7, 8 and 9 of the 2019 season, Minkah Fitzpatrick may have authored the best 3 game stretch of any Steelers defensive back in history.

2020 through 2022 – Minkah Magic When The Steelers Need

Quarterbacks noted Minkah Fitzpatrick’s prowess and avoided him like the plague. Still, he scored the Steelers first touchdown against Cleveland with a pick six of Baker Mayfield in the 2020 home win over Cleveland.

As the true great ones do, Minkah Fitzpatrick displayed a knack for making timely plays at critical junctures in games.

In week 8 of the 2020 season, at the two-minute warning Lamar Jackson tried to tuck and run with it at the Steelers 3. HE made it two yards before Fitzpatrick stoned him forcing a fumble, which Robert Spillane recovered.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Willie Snead, Justin Tucker, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick knocks the ball away from Wille Snead. Photo Credit: Patrick Smith, Getty Images via Fansided.com

He wasn’t done. The Steelers couldn’t kill the clock. Jackson moved the Ravens to just outside Pittsburgh’s 23, where, with 5 seconds left he had Willie Snead open in the end zone, only for Minkah to step in and deflect the pass.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Cowboys

Minkah Fitzpatrick after saving the day for the Steelers. Photo Credit: Boston Globe.

A week later against Dallas, he did it again, opening the 4th quarter against Dallas with an interception. Again, ended the Cowboys comeback attempt with a pass deflection over CeeDee Lamb in the end zone with 4 seconds remaining.

  • Fitzpatrick added two more picks against Jacksonville two weeks later.

In 2021 Fitzpatrick “only” had two interceptions, but he made those count, negating a would-be Ravens touchdown early in the game with an end zone pick and a game the Steelers would win 19-18, thus helping Ben Roethlisberger win his final game against Lamar Jackson.

2022 was a rough year for the Steelers, but they started it with a bang. Cam Heyward sacked Joe Burrow in week one on Cincinnati’s first play from scrimmage. Not one to be upstaged, Minkah did this on the next play:

Fitzpatrick started fast and finished strong that day. When the Bengals tied the game with 4 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Fitzpatrick didn’t fret – he fought back:

And thus the Steelers stole one from Burrow and the Bengals in overtime.

2022 was Minkah Fitzpatrick’s best season with the Steelers, as he logged additional 5 more interceptions, including victory sealers against the Falcons and then against the Ravens, the latter one coming on the heels of the “Kenny F__ing Pickett” comeback. He also batted away 11 passes, earning first team AP All Pro Honors.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Ravens, Steelers vs Ravens 2022 M&T Bank Stadium

Minkah Fitzpatrick with the game-sealing pick. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

From 2020 to 2022, whenever the Steelers needed it, Minkah Magic delivered.

2023 and 2024, Fitzpatrick Is Seen Less than He’s Heard

Using conventional metrics, Minkah Fizpatrick’s play dipped in 2022 and 2023. He only had one interception in that two-season span. He defensed a total of 7 passes in the two seasons, or the same number that he logged in 2021.

  • Pundits in some quarters rushed to conclude at, at age 29, Fitzpatrick was slowing a step.

But as Derrick Bell from Steelers Now pointed, out while we may not have heard much from Minkah Fitzpatrick, opposing quarterbacks saw him and shifted their targets accordingly.

In 2024 the Steelers defense boasted the NFL’s 2nd best 3rd down percentage, and in Bell’s estimation, how Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin chose to deploy Fitzpatrick helped that happen. In breaking down a critical third down stop from the 2024 home win over the Ravens, Bell concludes:

This play results in a scramble drill turned prayer down the field, with the defense getting off the field on third down against the league’s best offense. These turn-downs aren’t a statistic that is measured like interceptions, stops, or forced incompletions, but having strong enough hook play to erase these beaters is crucial nonetheless.

So no one should mistake them missing splash plays from Minkah’s game recently for a lack of impact.

Minkah Fitzpatrick Trade = Cost-Benefit Calculation

Success in the NFL hinges on getting the most bang for your salary cap buck. Salarycaponomics alone indicate that mega contracts are more wisely invested in cornerbacks than in safeties. Throwing in Jonnu Smith makes this trade is a no-brainer – on paper.

Early in the off season, Steel City Insider’s Matt C. Steel argued for the Steelers to follow Philly’s blueprint and play more Cover 4. As Steel explains, “Besides a big, strong defensive front with depth, ideally, you want three corners who can cover.” Ramsey, alongside Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay gives the Steelers that third corner.

Troy Polamalu, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Vincents

Two safeties @ St. Vincent’s. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Fair enough.

The Philadelphia Eagles did something in route to victory in Super Bowl LIX that no one else has done: Make Patrick Mahomes look mortal. If the exchanging Ramsey for Fitzpatrick elevates the Steelers defense to that level, sign me up.

But Minkah Fitzpatrick was always class act in Pittsburgh and a leader both on and off the field. It says here that not only is Minkah Fitzpatrick not past his prime, his best days may be yet to come. And if that’s the case, it will be a shame that he ends up not playing them in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform.

But so be it. Thank you Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Thank you for giving Steelers Nation Hall of Fame caliber play in the secondary not seen since the days when Polamalus and Woodsons wore the Black and Gold.

I wish you the best.

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