Steelers Week 13 MV3's!

Welcome to a very special edition of the Steelers MV3s! Pittsburgh travels to the Queen City of Cincinnati for an AFC North showdown with the struggling Bengals. Do you know who else traveled there? The man who wrote this very article! Yes, it was cold. Yes, I lost feeling in my limbs for a bit. Yes, I was up for about 20 hours the entire day. But it's all okay because the Steelers got a much-needed win after a much-sad loss last week. The football week was good for Pittsburgh as Baltimore, Cincinnati, AND Cleveland all lost in an exciting week. But what players made the dub possible and made my voice lost for a bit? Let's go over them!

Honorable Mentions:

Najee Harris - 16 carries, 75 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 6 rec, 54 receiving yards

George Pickens - 3 rec, 74 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD

Cam Heyward - 5 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 pass defense, 2 QB hits

#3: Pat Freiermuth - 6 rec, 68 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD

Statistically, George Pickens had a better game. But also, Pat Freiermuth didn't almost get ejected. Still, it was a great showing from a great tight end. Against the same team he caught his first career TD against back in 2021, Freiermuth had the longest TD reception of his career and also his first touchdown reception outside of the red zone. From 25 yards out, the Steelers got up by ten in the third quarter. It was the final Steelers offensive TD of the game, as the Steelers still scored 10 points in the fourth quarter.

#2: TJ Watt - 3 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 5 QB hits, 1 forced fumble

After last week, local TJ Watt defenders like myself needed a game like this to silence the faceless legends on social media. TJ Watt is the best defender in the league and proves it again. More games like this could put his name in more conversations for defensive player of the year odds. A forced fumble in the late moments of the first half gave the Steelers a chance to go up with a field goal. Can TJ Watt get his payback against Cleveland next week in Pittsburgh?

#1: Russell Wilson - 29/38, 414 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 interception, 3 carries, 3 rushing yards

The first game I ever went to was the Steelers vs. Bengals week one game in 2022. Bengals QB Joe Burrow's first passing touchdown was a pick-six. Two years later, Steelers QB Russell Wilson's first passing touchdown was a pick-six. The only difference between the two plays is that one QB came out of their respective games as a winner. Despite the pick-six and me sinking in my stadium seat, thinking about all the trash talk I'm gonna have to take in three hours, Wilson would prove he's still quite good. Touchdown passes to Pickens, Austin, and Freiermuth. It was the first 400-passing-yard game for Russell since 2019 and the first 400-passing-yard regular season game for a Steelers QB since a week twelve losing effort versus Denver in 2018 (the last time a Steelers QB threw over 400 yards in a winning effort was week fifteen versus Baltimore in 2017).



Next week, Pittsburgh returns home to attempt to shut up the Browns in the final five-week gauntlet. After Cleveland, the Steelers face four teams that have been to an AFC/NFC championship in the past three years: the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, and the Bengals. A 95% chance of a playoff appearance and a 65% chance to win the division. A win next week for Pittsburgh would clinch a playoff spot, and the Bengals and Browns can no longer win the division. It's down to Baltimore and Pittsburgh in the AFC North. Feels good to be back to normal.