The Pittsburgh Steelers always do just enough to keep you from completely bailing before the season is over. After consecutive losses that saw the team drop to 6-6, the Steelers went on the road to Baltimore
and defeated their arch-rival to take over the lead in the AFC North, and there were plenty of performances worthy of praise.
Varsity
QB Aaron Rodgers
This may have been Rodgers’ best game as a Steeler. He threw for a season-high 284 yards, tossed a touchdown, and ran for a score for the first time in four years. Additionally, Rodgers had multiple completions that were 20+ yards downfield after Pittsburgh went over a month without any explosiveness in the passing game. This was the game they needed from Rodgers, and he delivered in a must-win.
WR DK Metcalf
While Rodgers arguably had his best game as a Steeler, it is inarguable that this was Metcalf’s best game since joining Pittsburgh. He caught seven passes for 148 yards, both of which were season-highs. On the first play of the game, he caught a 52-yard bomb from Rodgers that set the tone for the day, leading to Rodgers’ touchdown run. This is the Metcalf Pittsburgh needs in this final stretch.
CB Brandin Echols
Echols was superb on Sunday. He made a play on Zay Flowers in the end zone to prevent a touchdown in one-on-one coverage, which was a theme for No. 26 throughout the day. He also had a sack of Lamar Jackson to force a punt. Echols has been the DeShon Elliott signing of the 2025 season in terms of a low-key move that turns out to be a gem.
CB James Pierre
Pierre’s tremendous season continues with an interception that set up the Steelers’ touchdown to go up 17-3. He also had two pass deflections, continuing to show that he is a viable piece of the secondary.
EDGE Alex Highsmith
Highsmith had three tackles for loss in the game, including the game-winning sack on the game’s final play. He’s been streaky this season, having multiple games of two+ sacks, and this performance certainly sits near the top of his showings this season.
LB Patrick Queen
Queen had one of his better games of the season, registering seven tackles and breaking up the pass in the end zone intended for Mark Andrews late in the fourth quarter.
Pass Defense
The Steelers shut down the passing game of the Ravens and made Lamar Jackson all but irrelevant. Jackson finished with just 219 passing yards on 19-of-35 passing. The Steelers consistently put Jackson in a blender, and they did so again on Sunday.
Pass Protection
Broderick Jones was out, and then Adnrus Peat was lost to injury, meaning practice squad call-up Dylan Cook came in the game – the Steelers still allowed zero sacks. Rodgers had time to make plays and push the ball downfield, and that is in no small part due to the high-quality play from the offensive line.
Ruthless Aggression
I was going to just write “aggression,” but considering this week is John Cena’s final week as an active wrestler, I figured I’d give him the wink and nod. Pittsburgh came out and threw a 52-yard pass on its first play from scrimmage. Mike Tomlin then went for it on 4th-and-1 from inside the 10 yard line, which led to the Rodgers touchdown. Pushing the ball downfield and being aggressive consistently were big factors in the win.
Junior-Varsity
Running The Ball
The Steelers couldn’t run the ball all day, totalling just 34 yards on 17 carries. Luckily, the passing game set them up in advantageous situations.
Genuinely, there wasn’t any specific individual performance that stuck out as deserving of being on the JV list. The usage of Jaylen Warren continues to be baffling, but beating that dead horse is driving me nuts. Overall, this was a really well-rounded performance from the Steelers.
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