By the skin of their teeth, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed to squeak out a 21-14 win against the New England Patriots Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Like in Week 1, the Steelers didn’t secure victory until the final minutes of the game. While their defense struggled, Brandin Echols had a big game, recording an interception and a huge tackle for loss on fourth down. The Steelers have a lot of notable names in their secondary, so Echols hasn’t received a ton of attention. He understands that brings a different kind of attention.
“I feel like I’m always getting targeted because I’m not a household name like everybody else,” Echols said after the game via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko. “If I was a quarterback on the other side, I’d be trying to target me too.”
This offseason, the Steelers made significant changes to their cornerback room. They signed Darius Slay and traded for Jalen Ramsey. Both those players were among the top corners in the league at one point, and they’re both Super Bowl champions. As a result, Echols, who they also signed this offseason, has flown under the radar.
The Steelers needed Echols to step up against the Patriots, too. Their secondary has been dealing with a ton of injuries. They went into Week 3 without Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott. Then, Darius Slay was in and out for much of the first half. The Steelers were getting thin at corner, making Echols’ contributions against the Patriots even more critical.
Echols revealed his feelings on being a less notable name in the Steelers’ secondary.
“I love it,” he said. “I know I’m gonna get the ball.”
In Week 3, Echols showed that he shouldn’t be overlooked. His interception saved the Steelers from allowing the Patriots to score before the first half ended. Additionally, his play on fourth down sealed the Steelers’ win.
The Steelers still had a lot of defensive issues against the Patriots, but it was encouraging to see them force so many turnovers. That helped cover up some of their flaws. They need to get more consistent, though. Maybe they’ll improve once they get healthier.
Once Porter is back, they should have a nice stable of corners. That depth could become key as the season progresses. Hopefully, Echols continues to take advantage of teams targeting him.
