Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season is getting underway after the team finished above .500 but failing to make the postseason last year, we turn our attention to the next chapter of Steelers football and everything that entails. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on more specific contexts as we get into the season, reflecting more immediate plusses and minus rather than trends over long periods. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: CB Patrick Peterson
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The veteran cornerback had arguably his best game of the season against the Green Bay Packers, finding ways to contribute in multiple phases at critical moments. He blocked an extra point attempt early in the game and then caused a tipped pass leading to a red-zone interception late in the fourth quarter.
Patrick Peterson has been getting some heat from certain segments of the fan base this season, and not unfairly. Whether they were excited by his initial signing or skeptical about his level of performance nearing the end of his career in his 13th season, his play on the field hadn’t lived up to the billing.
Now, he might not be making what he used to in his prime, granted, but he’s still making good money, and he was brought in to play good football. That hadn’t always been the case, and his reactions to that have been a mixture of accountability, defiance, and the occasional excuse.
But he is, I think, on an upward trend as of late, and it’s been a while since he’s allowed a touchdown. Indeed, he prevented one on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at a critical moment. Playing trail on a toss into the end zone, he timed his jump perfectly to bat the football to his awaiting teammate. That turned out to be S Keanu Neal, as it was, robbing the Packers of a go-ahead score, even a chance for a field goal.
Prior to that, amidst an overall solid game—perhaps his most consistent defensive effort in the Black and Gold, as a whole—he also stepped up in a huge way on special teams. He blocked the extra point after the Packers’ second touchdown.
Only later did it become clear how significant that was as the defense ended the game as time expired with yet another interception. With just three seconds to play, the Packers would almost undoubtedly have attempted a field goal if they were down three instead of four.
But because that block kept the margin outside of the reach of just a field goal, they had to play for the win. And the Steelers made the game-winning play. One can make the case that Peterson, then, saved at least eight points. All the more important with Levi Wallace seemingly going into the tank as often as not.
