Now THAT is Pittsburgh Steelers soccer.
After back-to-back dreadful performances defensively, the Pittsburgh Steelers bounced again in a serious approach Sunday in Week 9 towards the NFL’s finest offense within the Indianapolis Colts. The Steelers pressured six turnovers, sacked quarterback Daniel Jones 5 instances, and had been capable of convert these turnovers into factors, rolling to a 27-20 win that wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating indicated.
Whereas the Steelers didn’t do a lot offensively on the afternoon, racking up simply 225 complete yards on 61 performs, they took benefit of some brief fields and cashed in with touchdowns as a substitute of discipline targets this week. It was a ok recipe for a surprising upset win over the league’s finest crew, getting the Steelers to 5-3 on the season and lengthening their AFC North lead.
Let’s get to some grades.
QB — C+
It wasn’t good, however it wasn’t all that dangerous, both. Aaron Rodgers accomplished 15-of-25 passes for 203 yards and one landing, connecting with Pat Freiermuth on a 12-yard scoring strike. He wasn’t requested to do a ton, and he wasn’t helped by drops from the likes of Darnell Washington and DK Metcalf.
Additionally, the Steelers threw the ball a bit an excessive amount of early, together with on a goal-to-go state of affairs early within the sport after a muffed Colts punt. Rodgers made an awesome throw to Washington on the fast slant on 4th and objective, however Washington by no means bought his head round. The fade ball to Metcalf a couple of drives later was underthrown, too.
However Rodgers settled in and took what the Colts gave him. His throw to Freiermuth on the 12-yard landing was an awesome cross, defending Freiermuth from an enormous shot throughout the center within the course of, too. Rodgers unfold the ball round, hitting 9 totally different receivers within the win. He was environment friendly, no less than, however nothing spectacular.
Luckily, he didn’t have to be.
RB — C
It was robust sledding on the market for the Steelers’ run sport towards the Colts. Although Indianapolis had struggled stopping the run coming into the matchup, the Steelers rushed for simply 38 yards on 23 carries. That stated, Jaylen Warren punched two into the tip zone in short-yardage conditions to present the Steelers touchdowns off takeaways.
Warren had simply 31 yards on 16 carries, whereas Kenneth Gainwell had -1 dashing yards on three carries. Kaleb Johnson bought some work with a 4-yard carry and confirmed some burst, too.
The place the working backs made an influence was within the passing sport. Gainwell had 4 catches for 35 yards and was a spark at instances. He solely had one actual mistake within the passing sport on a 3rd and lengthy, failing to stand up the sphere. That pressured the Steelers to punt and drew Rodgers’ ire.
Johnson added a 9-yard catch out of the backfield, producing some positivity for the rookie.
WR — C-
Calvin Austin III led all Steelers receivers in targets with six and was simply the Steelers’ finest receiver. He hauled in 5 passes for 56 yards and did all of it, successful within the fast sport, over the center and after the catch. He’s shortly turning into one among Rodgers’ favourite targets, and he confirmed that on Sunday.
Metcalf was a little bit of a disappointment. He had simply two catches for six yards and was largely taken out of the sport. He did draw a key penalty on one run play, getting Colts CB Jaylon Jones to lose his cool.
Roman Wilson had a disastrous second late within the sport after hauling in a fast throw and attempting to hurdle a defender. With the Steelers attempting to take advantage of the clock and ice the sport, Wilson was stripped of the soccer. That received’t earn him any love from the coaches.
TE — B+
When Darnell Washington is on the sphere, good issues occur for the Steelers. Washington was used as an enormous receiving possibility on Sunday and completed with 4 receptions for 43 yards, tying with Austin for the crew lead in targets with six.
He was a great blocker, and was an actual weapon within the passing sport, making some nice performs in area.
Freiermuth had a pleasant sport, too, ending with three receptions for 27 yards and the rating. He’s been reliable in latest weeks and is beginning to generate increasingly chemistry with Rodgers. Jonnu Smith has been a little bit of a disappointment and began the sport in ugly trend, dropping a downfield throw from Rodgers when he was broad open. However he bounced again to complete with three receptions for 25 yards.
OL — C-
The Steelers’ lack of ability to constantly run the soccer, particularly with a lead, is a bit regarding. Shedding Isaac Seumalo within the second half was an enormous blow, too, because it took away the chance to make the most of the jumbo bundle. The Steelers rushed for simply 38 yards on the afternoon, and whereas the 2 touchdowns had been massive, managing simply 1.7 yards per carry is just not ok.
Go safety was respectable, although Rodgers was sacked 3 times. We’ll see what the coaches tape reveals with the offensive line, however nothing all that good to say in regards to the group.
DL — B
With a serious emphasis on stopping the run, significantly the NFL’s finest working again in Jonathan Taylor, the line of defense stood tall Sunday. The Steelers held Taylor to only 45 yards on 14 carries and miraculously stored him out of the tip zone, too.
Cameron Heyward was fairly good all sport. He batted two passes on the line of scrimmage, persevering with to indicate why his Clamps Heyward nickname is becoming. He completed with 4 tackles and had a quarterback hit, too, pushing the pocket whereas dashing the passer and holding his spot constantly within the run sport. Oh, and he hustled to the soccer time and time once more, too, setting the usual for the line of defense.
Keeanu Benton had a pleasant efficiency with a formidable sack on his normal club-over transfer. He completed with 5 tackles and was across the soccer a ton. Very encouraging displaying.
Rookie Derrick Harmon recovered a fumble and was regular towards the run with two stops. He was robust on the level of assault and helped type a wall towards the run.
LB — A-
At instances it was very regarding when guys like Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison had been lacking tackles, and protection wasn’t all the time sharp. However a T.J. Watt strip-sack modified the sport and the remainder of the linebackers began to ball out.
Payton Wilson had a profession day with 14 tackles, two passes defensed and one interception. His one cross defensed led to Jack Sawyer’s interception, the primary of his NFL profession. Wilson was in all places, taking part in the most effective sport of his profession. He flew sideline to sideline, was a drive towards the run, and made performs in protection. That’s what the Steelers count on from him.
Queen had some respectable moments, too, and continues to be a great blitzer. The missed tackles must get cleaned up, although. He completed with 5 stops within the sport. Malik Harrison returned from injured reserve and had three tackles, although he missed an enormous cease behind the road of scrimmage on a 4th and brief, permitting the Colts to transform.
Exterior, Watt had an enormous strip-sack and fumble restoration. He bought after the quarterback all day and completed with three tackles and one quarterback hit. With a lot consideration on Watt, Alex Highsmith had a discipline day reverse him.
Highsmith shook off an early damage and had an awesome sport, recording 4 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, a pressured fumble and a cross defensed on third down. Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer supplied serviceable reps with Sawyer selecting off a cross.
Secondary — B-
Sure, the splash is sweet, and it was nice to see Joey Porter Jr. choose off a cross late, making up for some performs he left on the sphere. However there was nonetheless some communication points in protection with cornerbacks, and guys simply getting misplaced in protection at instances. The Colts had two 100-yard receivers, so there have been a variety of performs being made on the sphere.
With out a trio of safeties as a consequence of damage and sickness, Jalen Ramsey stepped up and locked down the again finish. So, too, did commerce acquisition Kyle Dugger, serving to Pittsburgh largely preserve a lid on issues. They had been project sound and supplied a bodily ingredient, which was very encouraging.
Brandin Echols had some moments in protection, together with an enormous cross breakup over the center. However he bought misplaced on a late Colts landing through which he was confused by the discharge idea and bought caught flat-footed. Nonetheless, he had six tackles, broke up a cross and had a quarterback hit.
Darius Slay continues to be a legal responsibility. He’s all the time damage, too. Slay was a large number early within the sport and the Colts took benefit, hitting a few gap photographs towards Cowl 2. James Pierre stepped in for him at instances and made an enormous play in protection breaking apart a cross supposed for Alec Pierce.
Particular Groups — A-
A very nice job from particular groups. Chris Boswell drilled two discipline targets and transformed on all three further factors. He was clutch late, connecting on 46-yarder to make it a 17-point sport within the fourth quarter.
Punter Corliss Waitman was good once more, too. Waitman averaged 50.4 yards on 5 punts and helped create a muffed punt return early within the sport from the Colts’ Josh Downs. The Steelers weren’t capable of reap the benefits of the restoration, however it was nonetheless an awesome punt from Waitman. Two of his punts had been downed contained in the 20-yard line, and he had an extended of 67 yards.
Within the return sport Ke’Shawn Williams seemed good as soon as once more. He ripped off a 30-yard kickoff return and had a 15-yard punt return. He makes performs occur, even when it’s a bit nerve-wracking how he catches the ball and the way he spins so typically. Protection items had been good for the Steelers, too.
The one actual concern with particular groups was the pretend punt the Colts transformed for a primary down. It was a shock, however it caught the Steelers off guard.
Additionally, shoutout to Danny Smith for the heads-up resolution to have Boswell kick the ball out of bounds after one scoring play for the Steelers, which noticed the Colts draw a private foul penalty, transferring the kickoff up. Boswell drilled it out of bounds, and it put the ball on the 25, relatively than the 35 as what would usually occur on kickoffs. Heady stuff there.
