The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the pitch on Sunday when they played the Cleveland Browns in week 18 of regular season action. The Steelers won the contest, but that doesn’t mean every player had a good or bad performance.
Players who play well can be considered ‘winners’, while those who left a lot to be desired can be called ‘losers’. It may sound harsh, but that’s the crux of this exercise.
Let’s check to see who fell on which side of the ledger after the last game…
Winners
Najee Harris
Stat line: 23 carries, 84 yards, 3.7 AA, 1 TD, 11 longs, 1 fumble/1 catch, 10 yards
Some might say the fumble shouldn’t have survived on the winners list, but the way he headed the ball was exactly the way he had headed the ball since the bye week. Run hard and look like a beast. Basically what everyone expected when the Steelers took him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Harris capped off another season with 1,000 rushing yards, and while some may scoff at it as a feat, it’s still a milestone. If Harris picks up where he left off in 2022, the Steelers offense will be even better in 2023.
George Pickens
Stat line: 3 catches, 72 yards, 24.0 average, 1 TD, 31 longs, 6 targets
Pickens has done everything fans thought he would do, and more, since being drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft. Everyone talks about how the Steelers know how to pick receivers, and c ‘is right. Some also talk about how these receptors are usually slow to develop, and that’s often true as well. That was not the case for Pickens this year. The problem was more that he was getting targets, and once the team sent Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears it began to flourish. Don’t look now, but the Steelers have a good one on their hands … and it looks like it’s just getting started.
Kenny Pickett
Stat line: 13/29, 195 yards, 6.7 average, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack for 6 yards, 79.0 rating
Pickett didn’t have his best game of the season, and his stat line above shows it. Less than 50% completion, less than 200 meters, and a score of less than 80.0. Nonetheless, Pickett ticked a big box for me in this game. We’ve all seen his late-game heroics, and those were always accompanied by games where he struggled throughout the first 3 quarters. This match didn’t start well for Pickett, but he turned things around much earlier than before. Not needing late-game heroics, but instead relying on quality gameplay earlier on was good to see.
Connor Heyward
Stat line: 3 catches, 45 yards, 15.0 average, 0 TDs, 27 longs, 4 targets
Pat Freiermuth left the game with a knee injury, and rookie Connor Heyward stepped up and stepped up. Heyward’s huge 3rd conversion allowed the Steelers to seal the win with their final score to make it a two-run game. Heyward doesn’t look like your typical tailback/H-back, but he absolutely looks his place when he’s in the field. Just add another impact recruit to the roster.
Alex Highsmith
Stat line: 8 tackles, 6 solos, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFLs, 3 QB hits
I don’t know why Alex Highsmith didn’t get more recognition this season, but his 2.5 sacks gave him 14.5 on the season and nobody talks about it. Fans have been crying out for a passing thrower who can take advantage of his one-on-one matches against TJ Watt, and Highsmith has done just that. In fact, he was able to produce, some, when Watt was out of training. A terrific season for Highsmith, and the hope is that he and Watt can wreak havoc on opposing offenses for years to come.
to rush
Stat line: 7 sacks, 10 QB shots
Speaking of the pass rush, the Steelers defensive front abused Cleveland’s pass protection all day. Without Watson’s mobility, the Steelers could have easily had 10+ sacks in the day. They harassed Watson every time he backed down and never really let him get comfortable. It was a good day for the team’s dynamic passing rush and should get fans excited for 2023.
Takeaway/INT
Stat line: 2 other INTs
Damontae Kazee and Levi Wallace both had interceptions in that game, bringing their total to 20 INTs this season. Heading into Sunday Night Football, that was a league-leading statistic. These ball-peddling Steelers have been quietly going about their business this season, and each of those interceptions has been huge, especially Sunday vs. the Browns in week 18.
3rd offense
Stat line: 9 for 15
You know the chorus. Get above 50% and you get on the winners list. Mission accomplished. This has been a key stat for the team in the second half of the season, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone how much it has helped the team win more games.
Chicago Bears
Stat line: The Steelers now have the 32nd pick
The Bears found a way to lose after the Chase Claypool trade, and they tied in the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. That means the Steelers will get the 32nd pick this year (there will only be 31 first-round picks with the Miami Dolphins losing their first-round pick), and it’s certainly a nice addition to a great season.
The future
Stat line: So bright, gotta wear shades
TJ Watt explained how he thinks the Steelers have a great mix of veterans and youngsters on the team to be ready to go in 2023. The future at one point looked bleak, but after finishing 7-2 and missing barely out of the playoffs, most would say the future looks bright. So shiny, you gotta wear shades.
losers
New York Jets
Stat line: Joe Flacco still sucks
That’s what we get for trusting Joe Flacco, isn’t it? Did we really think Flacco could pull off a win that would benefit the Steelers? We should have known better…
tackle
Stat line: Too many missed tackles to count
There were times when it looked like Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb had their uniforms coated in Crisco. Every time the Steelers got their hands on them, they couldn’t bring them down. If the Steelers had tackled better, they could easily have scored 10-plus sacks and dominated even more than they did.
Officer
Stat line: A myriad of missed calls
This match was horribly officiated, on both sides. When you consider the face mask miss call on Larry Ogunjobi and the brutal passer penalty on Cam Heyward, it was bad all around. Add to that the fact that a play like George Pickens’ touchline capture, which was within two minutes so any review had to be started from the stand, wasn’t even reviewed and it was still worse. This team looked like they wanted to send him out early.
Turnover/Potential Turnover
Stat line: Najee gropes and Diontae Johnson/Jaylen Warren plays
There will be a lot of things the Steelers focus on this offseason, and ball protection should be on the list. Najee Harris has only fumbled twice this season, but Diontae Johnson’s “almost” fumble and Jaylen Warren missing the pitch spell disaster. Good teams don’t spit football, and the Steelers have proven to themselves this season that they’re tough to beat when they’re not battling with sloppy play.
If you want a more detailed look at the list above, check out my “Let’s Ride” podcast where I break down every Winner and Loser, and MORE!
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