Winners and losers from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 17-10 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18.
WINNERS
Isaac Seumalo: As we always say, judging an offensive lineman live from TV is difficult to do. But Seumalo opened up the lane on Najee Harris’ first-half touchdown run, pancaking stud DT Justin Madubuike to clear a path for Harris to run off his inside hip. A tone-setting type of play and ones this o-line have been repeatedly making the last three weeks. A must-have considering the wet and ugly conditions today.
Mark Robinson: A breakout game for Robinson to close out the 2023 regular season. Despite Elandon Roberts dressing and Myles Jack being elevated and playing, the Steelers still carved out a role for Robinson, who fits well in a physical downhill contest against the Ravens.
He forced the fumble on RB Melvin Gordon to set up Pittsburgh in opposing territory, though the Steelers gave it back thanks to a fumble of their own. Robinson later picked up his first career sack, dropping QB Tyler Huntley. Downhill, Robinson is solid. It’s everything else he has to work on.
T.J. Watt: Unfortunately, Watt’s day ended early after suffering a knee injury that looked potentially serious. Prior to then, he was setting the edge against the run and recorded two sacks to give him a league-leading 19 of them, breaking a tie with Trey Hendrickson (who has a chance to tie/surpass Watt tomorrow). The injury is a sour note, but Watt still made an impact in essentially in three quarters.
Diontae Johnson: Johnson was on the receiving end of the Steelers’ biggest play of the game, a 71-yard score on a dot from QB Mason Rudolph. Johnson did the rest after the Rudolph throw, taking it to the house. On a day where George Pickens’ downfield ability was hindered by weather (and likely the Ravens focusing on taking him away), Johnson became the team’s top wide receiver. And cashed in with a big payday.
Najee Harris: With Jaylen Warren struggling to secure the football, the Steelers leaned on Harris. He delivered with a downhill game, similar to though not quite as powerful as last week. But he ran hard, kept his feet churning, and surpassed over 1,000 rushing yards on the season, the first Steeler to ever do so in his first three years.Â
LOSERS
Pressley Harvin III: Another tough day for Harvin, who has struggled over the last month. The elements did him no favors but Ravens punter Jordan Stout didn’t have nearly the same issues. Harvin’s worst moment came on a re-kick that went just 26 yards, costing the Steelers nearly 30 yards of field position. It didn’t help that gunner Miles Boykin couldn’t down one of his better punts.
Dan Moore Jr. and Broderick Jones’ Pass Protection: The Steelers’ tackles had their hands full with the Ravens’ EDGE rushers. Guys like Kyle Van Noy and Jadeveon Clowney, playing despite Baltimore resting many of its starters. Moore and Jones each had trouble sealing the edge and put Rudolph under pressure, including on his fumble at the end of the first half, the Steelers squandering a chance to put a crucial three points on the board.
Ball Security: No question the weather influenced things. That football was slick. Still, the Steelers were too sloppy with the football. From the very first snap that Harris almost lost, Pittsburgh couldn’t hang on to the ball. Warren fumbled away on the fringe of field goal range and had a fumble in the fourth quarter that the Steelers recovered. Tough day for him. Rudolph was strip-sacked and couldn’t handle another snap that cost Pittsburgh on third down. A sloppy day that can’t be excused by the rain. Not with how important this game was.
Patrick Peterson: A reminder that safeties tackle more often than corners. While Peterson has admirably stepped in at safety for the injured Minkah Fitzpatrick, he doesn’t tackle like him. That was evident on the Ravens’ touchdown drive, Peterson taking a bad angle and barely even touching RB Gus Edwards before being unable to tackle TE Isaiah Likely before he crossed the goal line a short time later. Not easy plays but guys like Fitzpatrick are the best at what they do not just for their interceptions but for preventing good runs and gains from being great ones. Something he’ll have to work on if he makes the full-time switch.
