CB Cory Trice Jr.’s interception and TE Darnell Washington’s touchdown are the headline highlight plays from Week 2’s win over the Denver Broncos. The ones that’ll be remembered in a season recap come January. Not only because that was Trice’s first pick or Washington’s first score, but they were also the biggest plays in an otherwise low-scoring affair.
What should be remembered are the hidden plays around it. The ones that didn’t seem like much at the moment but loomed larger if you take inventory of the entire game. Against Denver, few are discussing three key moments that helped propel Pittsburgh to victory.
SS DeShon Elliott’s Open-Field Stop
We mentioned this one in our Elliott film room earlier in the week. While his 3rd and 1 tackle for loss received the most attention, the tackle he made the play before was just as important. It was a physical stop on big-bodied WR Josh Reynolds 1-yard short of the sticks, cleaning up CB Beanie Bishop Jr.’s over-pursuit and failing to play inside out.
That set up the third and short, where Elliott flew in and dropped the Broncos’ back for a loss, forcing Denver to punt.
Minkah Fitzpatrick’s TD-Saving Tackle
Denver’s biggest play was their trick play from Wildcat, QB Bo Nix hitting Reynolds for a 49-yard gain. They made a great play and fooled the Steelers, including FS Minkah Fitzpatrick.
While Fitzpatrick was gotten, he didn’t give up on the play. He used a speed turn to flip his hips, rallied hard to the football, and hawked down Reynolds as he was running to the end zone. Damontae Kazee and Donte Jackson tried to play the ball, Kazee missing and falling, and Jackson wasn’t in a good position to take Reynolds down in time.
If it weren’t for Fitzpatrick’s rally, Reynolds would almost certainly have scored. Instead of seven, Nix is picked by Trice two plays later to keep the shutout going.
Isaiahh Loudermilk’s Deflection
Third down in the fourth quarter. Nix looks for WR Courtland Sutton over the middle right around the sticks. But DL Isaiahh Loudermilk gets his hand in the throwing lane, knocking the pass away, and it nearly ricocheted into Beanie Bishop’s hands.
I can’t guarantee that Sutton would’ve gotten the first down; his depth was about one yard shy of the sticks. But if he’d been able to turn upfield and muscle his way forward, he may have converted. Or, at the least, that would’ve put Denver in 4th-and-1, and Payton likely would’ve gone for it.
Instead, Denver opted to kick a field goal. That got them on the board but kept things a two-possession game, 13-3.
These aren’t the flashy plays. Giving up a 49-yard completion sure won’t make Pittsburgh’s highlight reel. But they’re key plays to prevent good plays from being even better or ones that show how thin the line is between a great defensive play or a successful offensive conversion. And the difference between a win or a game that could’ve ended differently.
