It’s no surprise: nearly every game for the Pittsburgh Steelers is a tight, edgy game. Aside from their multiple blowout losses a year, the team almost always finds a way to stay in the game. Unfortunately for their fans’ cardiovascular health, the team is almost always in a tight, back-and-forth game. The case was no different in Week 7 as Pittsburgh traveled to LA to take on the Rams. The team was 3-2 heading into the bye week in Week 6, but there were several necessary changes that had to happen. Despite the Rams grabbing an early lead and seemingly taking control, the Steelers battled back for a 24-17 win. Several plays and players served as the catalyst to the Steelers’ sudden awakening on both offense and defense. Let’s look at which players or units helped the Steelers to their second straight win and fourth in their last five games.
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Five Standouts in the Pittsburgh Steelers Week 7 Win
Game Flow (How were these players able to succeed or stand out?)
The Steelers started the game slow just like they’ve done all year. Minimal offense in the first half led the team to just three points before halftime. The defense was alright but also struggled mightily at various times. Despite multiple leaks in the running and passing defense for the Steelers, the Rams only led 9-3 after the first thirty minutes. The tide of the game turned immediately as TJ Watt dropped into coverage for a play and ended up picking Matthew Stafford off.
Following the INT, quarterback Kenny Pickett scored the team’s first rushing touchdown of the season on a one-yard QB sneak. The Rams would answer with an eight-point touchdown in the mid-third quarter, but that would end up being their last score of the day. Pittsburgh would proceed to score 14 unanswered points to claim the game by a score of 24-17. Rushing touchdowns by Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris helped give the offense a much-needed boost and the team a much-needed win. These three players (Pickett, Warren, Harris), along with a few more, were among the top standouts in the Pittsburgh Steelers Week 7 win.
The Five Standouts (not in any order)
1. TJ Watt
It is no surprise that TJ Watt finds himself on this list, as he usually does just about every week. Watt has been a force for the Steelers defense for several years now and he isn’t slowing down. Watt didn’t record a sack in Week 7, but he is still tied for the league lead with 8. On average, he notches 1.33 sacks a game and he has also been a part of four separate turnovers this year. In Week 7, Watt got that fourth turnover, an interception early in the third quarter that shifted the tide of the game. This prompted the Steelers to go on a 21-8 run that ended up being worth the game. He may have not had a big impact statistically, but his ability to simply disrupt other offenses and make plays when they mean the most makes him a standout player every week.
2. Second-Half Kenny Pickett
It’s not that Pickett played poorly in the first half, but that he played very well in the second half. Early in the year, Pickett has struggled at times with making some easier throws earlier in the game. In Week 7, he was simply limited in the first half and there just weren’t many chances for him to succeed. Pickett was 6/12 for just 78 yards in the first half, but he was also sacked twice and had several offensive penalties take away from his line. Pickett finished much stronger, completing 11 of his final 13 passes for 152 yards. He was on in the second half and he helped lead three touchdown drives in the final thirty minutes. He also executed the QB sneak well, scoring a touchdown on one and converting first downs on two other attempts.
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3. Running Tandem of Harris + Warren
It wasn’t always pretty, given the middle-of-the-road performance of the offensive line, but the Steelers running backs got it done. Harris and Warren ran 20 times for 85 yards and two scores, combined. Najee Harris was the lead back and ran 14 times for 53 yards (3.8 YPC), while Warren only had six carries but turned that into 32 yards (5.3 YPC). Warren is the more explosive and quick of the two, but Harris is often in a bad situation. Harris often gets hit behind the line of scrimmage and that usually leads to a loss or minimal gain. The offensive line has a long way to go but it was nice to see improvements that helped Warren and Harris each score their first touchdown of the year.
4. Diontae Johnson Helps George Pickens in Return
George Pickens had a great game before the bye week against the Ravens. He continued that streak in Week 7 against the Rams, but he was able to thrive with the return of Diontae Johnson. Pickens hauled in five of eight targets for 107 yards and had every catch go for 17 yards or more. For the four weeks that Johnson was out, Pickens was watched closely and even double-teamed quite a bit. Johnson’s return, given his superior route running, helped give Pickens more one-on-one attempts or softer coverages. Johnson had five catches for 79 yards in his return after not playing since Week 1. He certainly helped draw some attention away from Pickens and overall open the offense up more as a whole.
5. Joey Porter Jr.
Despite not getting very many chances, Porter Jr. has used his limited opportunities well. He has been a part of several pass breakups and even notched his first interception in Week 5. His coverage grade has been really good and he has been better than some of the current starters. On the stat sheet, Porter Jr. recorded three tackles and one pass break up. However, he had a much larger impact than what shows in the box score. From what I could see in the game, he timed at least three passes perfectly and stopped Puka Nacua from catching them. He may have only got a hand on one of them (hence only the one PBU), but his impact has not gone unnoticed by anyone watching the game.
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Main Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
