Steelers Week 16 MV3's

Well, this stinks even more. The Steelers take their second loss in two weeks against rivals Baltimore Ravens. In the past two games, the Steelers were outscored 61-30. And now, the Steelers must win out to win the AFC North. And Baltimore owns the tiebreaker. The problem is that the Steelers face Kansas City and then Cincinnati. Both teams have featured in the Super Bowl in the past three seasons. The Ravens face a cold-streak Texans and the 3-12 Browns. Hold onto your butts and swear jars, Steeler Nation. While we wait for Christmas Day, I'll bear some positive notes regarding the best Steeler players from the game.

Honorable Mentions:

Cam Heyward - 6 tackles, 1 TFL

Russell Wilson - 22/33, 217 passing yards, 1 int, 3 carries, 27 rushing yards, 1 fumble

Patrick Queen - 8 tackles, 1 pass defense

#3: Calvin Austin III - 4 rec, 65 receiving yards

He has had two straight appearances as #3 for Calvin Austin, and he has had about the same game as last week. He has the same receiving yards with one less catch. The Steelers miss George Pickens, as there is hope that he will play Christmas Day. But Austin has done well in terms of a second-string playing first. For two straight games, he's been the leading receiver for the Steelers in terms of yards. And in Baltimore, he had a 44-yard reception that led to a touchdown by Cordarrelle Patterson. Austin's done well with no drops since week ten and is still very fast. If the offense can find a prominent role for him once Pickens returns, it'll be like he never went down the depth chart.

#2: Alex Highsmith - 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 FF

Highsmith has been on a tear lately. Since returning in the Browns matchup in Pittsburgh, he has recorded 15 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 TFL, 3 QB hits, and one forced fumble. In his third straight appearance in an MV3 list, Highsmith has claimed six sacks in nine games and has gotten a sack every game since returning from an ankle injury. Including a sack on Lamar Jackson that made him fumble and led to a punt in the opening drive for Baltimore.

#1: Minkah Fitzpatrick - 6 tackles, 2 pass defenses, 1 int

It was only a matter of time before Fitzpatrick would get an interception again. It's been nearly two years. January 1st, 2023, was the last time he got a pick. It was a Week 17 game versus...the Ravens...in Baltimore. The NFL is weird. However, Fitzpatrick getting an interception was an incredible moment---for about a minute. The Steelers get the ball back down by seven after a mistake the Ravens wouldn't usually make---until Russell Wilson would throw a pick-six to Marlon Humphrey. You hate to see it.

For the eighth time since the Ravens were established in 1996, the Steelers and Ravens will be in the playoffs together. Whether they'll meet has yet to be determined. The Steelers have a winning record of 3-1 when facing the Ravens in the playoffs. The last time they met was in 2014 when the Ravens defeated the Steelers for the first time in the postseason. On Christmas Day, the Steelers face off against the black magic team of Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes has never lost against Pittsburgh, with a 2-0 record overall. Nine touchdowns overall, no interceptions, 584 passing yards. Not ideal. What is ideal? A win. The Steelers need one. Badly. Merry Christmas, everyone!