Nobody played more snaps last night than Pittsburgh Steelers ILB Payton Wilson. Whether offense or defense, Pittsburgh or Houston, Wilson played more than anybody else. He started the game defensively and hardly came off the field until late in the game.
While he missed on some tackles, Wilson flashed, at the very least with his presence. He always seemed to find his way around the ball, a key first step toward making plays. And he is already making them in training camp, the next step being to translate that more into stadiums.
“He seems like a Pittsburgh Steeler, doesn’t he?”, Chris Hoke asked on KDKA Nightly Sports Call of Payton Wilson. “He can run, and he can hit, and he’s athletic. And here’s the thing: even though he had seven tackles, five solo, one TFL, there’s still areas where he can improve. He can tighten up on his coverage. He missed some tackles. He will improve. First-game jitters, coming out here getting used to the pace and speed of the game, but I like what I see. He’s a no-nonsense, throwback kind of player that the Steelers need on their defense”.
A rookie third-round draft pick out of North Carolina State, Payton Wilson is a decorated collegiate player with medical concerns. Though he won both the Chuck Bednarik and Butkus awards, many teams viewed him as a one-contract player based on their medical evaluations of his knees.
While he has a lengthy injury history, Wilson has managed to stay healthy for the past couple seasons. He has talked about his extensive pre-practice workout, which he took up over the past two years and which he credits for helping him to avoid injury.
In his 44 snaps during last night’s game, Wilson registered a game-high six tackles, including one tackle for loss, and another on special teams. He registered the Steelers’ first special teams tackle on Cameron Johnston’s first punt. Then on the Texans’ first play of the game, he registered a tackle in the backfield.
As Hoke and I have referenced, though, he also had his struggles, notably missing a couple of tackles. There was also a play or two on which he struggled to disengage from a block, allowing a runner to advance up the sideline. On one goal-line stand, he and the rest of the defense seemed to offer little resistance.
But there will always be ups and downs as a young player gets his feet under him. Payton Wilson showed that growth during OTAs, and then during training camp. He will inevitably do so during the time that he has inside of stadiums, as well.
At least those are the expectations for Wilson, which seem to be sky high. As Hoke suggested, he gives the impression of being a Steeler by his nature and playing style. He is already very popular among the fans, who view him as part of the solution to take the defense to the next level. But first he needs to settle in, and last night was a valuable step in that direction.
