3 players who stood out in the Steelers' much-needed win over the Chargers
The Steelers were down to their third-string quarterback in Devlin "Duck" Hodges for Sunday night's matchup, but that didn't stop the Steelers from playing inspired football. They needed a win heading into their bye week. Hodges did just enough to get this team exactly they needed.
In contrast to last week's matchup with Baltimore, the game could not have started out any better. After a 3-and-out on their first possession, the Steelers' defense was able to score when Devin Bush picked up a backwards pass by Philip Rivers.
The offense was then able to score on their next two drives, giving the Steelers a 21-0 lead more than halfway through the second quarter.
One of the biggest components of the win for Pittsburgh was their ability to control the clock. Pittsburgh had been near the bottom of the league in time of possession (T.O.P.) going into Sunday night, and they registered 34:05 T.O.P. in this game.
The Chargers mounted a comeback in the 4th quarter, but it was too little, too late for the Chargers. The Steelers held on to win 24-17.
The win did come with a price for Pittsburgh. Several players left the game with injuries, including Stephon Tuitt, T.J. Watt, James Conner, and Joe Haden. The bye week couldn't come at a better time, but it's fair to wonder how this team will fare playing 10-straight games after their week off.
Despite the injuries, multiple players stepped up and had big games. Devlin Hodges deserves credit for a solid performance. He wasn't asked to do much, but he made the necessary throws and correct reads a lot of the times he dropped back to pass.
Tyson Alualu had a very solid game stepping in for the injured Stephon Tuitt. He was disruptive at the line of scrimmage and even tipped a Philip Rivers pass that was intercepted by Devin Bush.
Benny Snell Jr. carried the ball 17 times for 75 yards, including a 20-yard run late in the game to help chew more clock after Conner left the game with a quad injury. He also caught one pass for 14 yards.
The offensive line did a great job protecting Hodges and opening up holes in the run game. The defensive line was disruptive and controlled the line of scrimmage most of the night.
Many players deserve credit for this win, but there were three players that truly stood out above the rest.
James Conner
Conner has been a victim of speculation that last year was a fluke. That he's not a legitimate starting running back in the NFL. Conner answered those criticisms on Sunday night with a great performance.
The box score shows only 2.6 yards-per-carry, but you have to look past numbers. The Chargers knew the Steelers were going to have to run to have a chance to win this game. Conner started the game with an automatic disadvantage.
Conner looked very strong, breaking tackles constantly and helping move the chains on 3rd-and-short situations. He was also the Steelers leading receiver in this game, catching seven passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Conner carried the ball 16 times for 41 yards, including a 12-yard scamper for a touchdown.
Conner, along with the run game was clearly the focal point of the offense. Even when the running game wasn't producing huge gains, the offense didn't shy away and it ended up working out more often than not, especially in the first half.
Going forward: If healthy, Conner is still the guy. Benny Snell showed some great signs of being a good, young running back, but this is Conner's spot. His versatility in the passing game helps young quarterbacks like Hodges and Rudolph find someone reliable to throw to if they don't want to take shots down the field.
The coaching staff may need to look for ways to spell Conner better to help him avoid injuries. Jaylen Samuels and Benny Snell aren't quite as able to do everything Conner can do. This was a great game for Conner to showcase why he's the number one guy without question.
Devin Bush
When the Steelers traded up for Devin Bush, they were hoping to get the next great inside linebacker in the game. With this performance in L.A., Bush is justifying that decision.
Bush has had his fair share of mental mistakes and mishaps so far this season. It's expected of any rookie to haver to adjust to the skill and speed level of the NFL and Bush is no exception. One thing that has remained constant even throughout this learning process early on is that he is always around the ball.
Sometimes, guys just get lucky. They get a tipped pass fall right into their lap or have a lucky bounce of the ball come straight toward them. With Bush so far, it's been may more than just coincidence of how often he's around the ball. It's intangible, but sometimes guys have that innate ability to go to the ball. Newly acquired teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick has this ability, and Bush has it as well.
Bush recovered his 4th fumble tonight, which leads all defensive players in football right now. He also intercepted a tipped pass by Tyson Alualu, which led to a James Conner touchdown. Bush is a smart football player with great instincts and elite athleticism and speed. Once the game starts to slow down for him, he's going to become dangerous.
His performance wasn't perfect. After hurting his ankle late in the first half, he came back in the second half and seemed a little out of sorts. He missed a few tackles and got slapped with a taunting penalty.
Few rookies will have perfect performances, but overall, this was another great one by the rookie out of Michigan.
Going forward: I don't know how Bush doesn't become a permanent starter in this defense. Whether they're in their base 3-4, nickel, or dime package, Bush should be on the field for most of those snaps.
His ability to cover and react, as well as making plays around the line of scrimmage is so valuable and something the Steelers haven't had since Ryan Shazier suffered his spinal injury.
Cam Sutton
It's not often a nickel- or dime-back make it onto "lists" like this one, but Sutton was by far the best Steelers' defensive back on Sunday night.
He led the team with three passes defended and made a crucial (and impressive) play on the hands team when the Chargers went for an onside kick late in the game. He also intercepted Philip Rivers late to put the game on ice.
Sutton has been looking for more opportunities to shine and he is taking full advantage of them. He is shown that he is clearly better in coverage than Mike Hilton, the incumbent nickel back.
The Steelers don't just need players who can make plays, they need guys who can step up in crucial situations and stand their ground. And in those situations (red zone, late in the game, etc), Sutton has been rock solid.
Going forward: Artie Burns got the start in place of an injured Steven Nelson, who didn't even make it out to L.A. with the team with a hamstring injury. Burns did not answer the call with a great performance.
This leaves the door wide open for a guy like Sutton to step in. If Nelson remains out for any extended period of time, Sutton has given Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff something to think about.
He's been a breath of fresh air in the secondary. The Steelers have needed another good coverage corner and they may have landed one in Sutton.
