The Steelers honestly didn’t put a lot to love on tape on Sunday, so this may doubtless be one of many shorter iterations of Varsity & JV in fairly someday. But, let’s hop into it.
Varsity
EDGE T.J. Watt
Watt had two sacks to get to inside one of many league lead. He additionally compelled a fumble early on within the recreation with a deal with of Jalen Hurts. Plus, with the ankle harm trying extra like a scare than something severe, No. 90 could have a degree to show in opposition to the Ravens because the Steelers look to lock up their first division title since 2020.
EDGE Alex Highsmith
Highsmith made a number of performs early on, particularly within the run recreation. He additionally had a sack and two tackles for loss general.
Okay Chris Boswell
I typically neglect to place Boz on right here, which isn’t by design – we’ve simply grown so used to his brilliance that it has turn out to be routine. Regardless, he needs to be celebrated extra. He went 2-for-2 on subject objectives, together with a 49 yarder.
TE Pat Freiermuth
Freiermuth continues his finest season since his rookie marketing campaign with one other landing. It appears to be like like he’ll set a brand new profession excessive for scores, as he is only one away from tying his present profession excessive of seven.
LB Mark Robinson
The depth linebacker compelled the fumble on the punt return, stripping Cooper DeJean of the ball, which led to a Steelers’ subject aim.
Junior-Varsity
LB Patrick Queen
How many occasions are we going to see missed tackles from No. 6, particularly on essential downs? That has been a constant situation for Queen all season, and it bit the Steelers too many occasions on Sunday.
RB Najee Harris
I imply, you possibly can’t drop that pitch, particularly after the Steelers’ large chunk play on the flea flicker to get them in scoring place. The Steelers may have tied the sport. Instead, the Eagles scored to make it 27-13 and that was all she wrote.
Secondary
A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith did no matter they happy. Brown had eight catches for 110 yards whereas Smith added 11 catches for 109 yards and every receiver caught a landing. Joey Porter, James Pierre, Donte Jackson – all had been on the mercy of the Eagles’ passing recreation and so they had been on the dropping finish of that battle far as a rule.
Run blocking
The Steelers couldn’t do something within the run recreation, together with when dealing with lighter bins in heavy personnel. Broderick Jones had a very unhealthy recreation when it got here to creating working lanes. The Steelers are one of many worst groups within the NFL when it comes to rush effectivity. Lots of yards doesn’t imply an excellent working recreation, and so they couldn’t even get the yards half proper on Sunday.
Mike Tomlin
Punting inside enemy territory down two possessions with 10:40 left within the fourth quarter, and the offense didn’t contact the ball once more. That was the definition of a cowardly transfer. I didn’t essentially anticipate the Steelers to win this recreation, particularly with the accidents, however you possibly can’t tuck your tail in conditions like that. If something, it’s essential get extra aggressive to reap the benefits of the alternatives you do get, and the Steelers didn’t.
Arthur Smith
Smith known as a foul recreation. The Steelers couldn’t run, couldn’t go, couldn’t choose up any first downs (3-of-10 on third down) and had 5 three-and-outs. Overall, the Steelers misplaced the time of possession battle 40 minutes to twenty – you received’t win any video games when the opposite workforce has the ball twice so long as you. The Steelers must rebound in an enormous method in opposition to a Ravens protection much more vulnerable to giving up large performs.
