Winners & Losers from Steelers Week 9 Win over Titans

The Pittsburgh Steelers did it again! They were able to squeak out a win against the Titans this week, 20-16. Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome but I’m really starting to come around on this team. This defense is fun to watch (more so with Minkah Fitzpatrick), and it feels like things are starting to come together for the offense. I was really impressed with several players, but let’s take a look at a few players who deserve extra recognition for their Thursday night performance:

Winners

OT Broderick Jones

PFF might not have graded him very high on Thursday night giving him a 58.8 rating, but in my opinion, he was the best offensive player. Not only was he completely erasing star players like Harold Landry from the game, but he was also opening major running lanes for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The block he had to set up the rushing TD for Najee was a thing of beauty. The Steelers posted a season-high 166 yards on the ground, in no small part due to the contributions of Jones.  Omar Khan appears to have hit a home run with this first-round pick. 

OC Matt Canada

Not only did they finally move him to the sidelines, but he also looked like a good OC down there. He was the first one to take a seat next to George Pickens after he was upset about the lack of targets. He was consistently in communication with Kenny Pickett and to me coached a really good game. I would say that he has done just enough to shift the spotlight back onto Kenny, who missed quite a few throws Thursday night. I’m not sure he has done enough to save his job, but he has done enough to convince me that their offensive struggles aren’t entirely on him. At the end of the day, the players have to make the plays. 

WR Diontae Johnson

FINALLY! In over a season and a half, Diontae finally found his way into the endzone. You cannot help but be happy for the guy. He has come back and solidified himself as the true #1 receiver that this team has been looking for (sorry George). He was the go-to guy for Pickett this week and was able to reel in 7 catches for 90 yards, including 39 YAC. It hasn’t always been pretty for Diontae but yinzers, and Kenny Pickett, are really glad to have him back in the lineup.

CB Joey Porter Jr. 

I know it’s early in this young man’s career, but he might be the best young corner to play for the Steelers since Ike Taylor. When lining up against a wide receiver of Deandre Hopkins caliber may be difficult for some, this rookie made it look easy. Porter was able to hold Deandre Hopkins to 1 catch for 17 yards on 5 targets while covering him. That’s super impressive and shows the confidence that Joey has in himself. I’m sure he’s been a fan of DHop since he was in middle school, and now he had to man up against him in the league and did a hell of a job. Great game for another outstanding rookie. 

Honorable mentions: OG Isaac Seumalo, RBs Najee/Jaylen, OLB Alex Highsmith, MLB Kwon Alexander 

Losers

CB Patrick Peterson

There was clearly a game plan by the Titans to attack Peterson. It seems like he has lost a step and at this point in his career, he is hoping to rely on getting away with some sloppy play. He was chewed up and spit out by Will Levis and company, and the refs weren’t letting him get away with the holds either. Rookie Joey Porter playing so well really magnifies the issues in the secondary outside of him, particularly Peterson and Wallace being the issues. 

QB Kenny Pickett

I appreciate the toughness of fighting through what is clearly a painful injury, but some of those missed throws were tough to watch. It has been 20+ games and I am not any surer on Kenny Pickett than I was at this time last year. The second-half performances have been better, but the criticism out of college on KP was that he lacked the arm strength to be successful and at the NFL level, and the throw to Calvin Austin (that fell short) definitely raised more questions than answers. Twenty other QBs would have made that throw, and it would have been a touchdown (Will Levis being one of them). The Steelers may have won the football game, but this is the second opposing rookie QB to look better than Kenny Pickett this season (CJ Stroud gets better by the week) and that is something that not many yinz do not want to see at this point in his progression. 

WR George Pickens

2 catches -1 yard and a whiffed touchdown opportunity is enough to make any wide receiver frustrated - and George Pickens is no different. I can understand the frustration with your own play, but your teammate just scored his first touchdown (also the game-winner) in a millennium, and you can’t at least pretend to be happy for him? Tomlin has always been able to work with guys like this, and money can solve a lot of problems, so I’m interested to see how this works out. He is extremely talented and can be a beloved player in Steelers history, but if he continues down this path, he will be a Chicago Bear before he knows it. 

Not-So Honorable Mentions: CB Levi Wallace, WR Allen Robinson, RT Chuks Okorafor