Author: Christina Tina Rivers

Watch: Lightning strikes twice as Bishop intercepts Rodgers

Steel City Underground will pick an exceptional play of the game as a highlight each week of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 NFL regular season. Stay tuned as we hand-select the very best from the Black and Gold!

The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football and lived up to primetime expectations despite changes at quarterback and personnel rotation due to injuries. One rookie defensive back struck like lightning, twice, and turned the tide of the game.

With New York ahead, 15-6, late in the second quarter, a Corliss Waitman punt pinned the Jets deep into their own territory. Aaron Rodgers went to work trying to move the offense down the field. But, on 2nd & 4 at the Jets 36, Rodgers attempted a deep pass over the middle of the field to Garrett Wilson. Beanie Bishop grabbed the pass as he crashed into Wilson.

The interception gave the ball back to the Steelers offense who converted the turnover into a touchdown four plays later via a pass from Russell Wilson to George Pickens.

In the early part of the third quarter, after Chris Boswell kicked a field goal to get Pittsburgh ahead, 16-15, the Jets offense started off at their own 23. On 2nd & 10, Rodgers again attempted a pass to Wilson. Bishop leaped up to try to knock the ball down, affecting the pass, and Wilson bobbled the ball… right into Bishop’s control. Bishop then returned the ball for 41 yards and was brought down just short of the goal line.

The Steelers offense used their first play to score a touchdown when Wilson called his own number to sneak into the end zone. That score and subsequent PAT conversion put the Steelers on top, 23-15.

Pittsburgh would surge to win, 37-15, due to several more big plays in all phases of the game.

Watch: Lightning strikes twice as Bishop intercepts Rodgers appeared first on Steel City Underground.

Takeaways: Steelers soar past Jets, 37-15

Steel City Underground offers post-game takeaways for every 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL regular season game, focusing on the black and gold, just for members of Steelers Nation.

On Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers put together the most complete game, as a team, thus far in the 2024 NFL regular season. The New York Jets didn’t make things easy, and Aaron Rodgers showed he still has some magic left in his veteran skill-set. Despite the Jets being the league’s second-best overall defense entering the game, the Steelers had playmakers across the board that didn’t fold under pressure. The Steelers defense didn’t fold and special teams were above par, too. Here are three key takeaways from the 37-15 victory that put Pittsburgh alone on top of the AFC North with a 5-2 record.

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Russell Wilson‘s debut for Steelers was enlightening

When head coach Mike Tomlin chose to start Wilson over Justin Fields, it may have been the gutsiest decision he has made in years. The Steelers fanbase was largely ready to toss Tomlin out with the bath water if Wilson didn’t make a major difference over the 4-2 record Fields had put together… even though Fields was just one player on a talented roster.

When Wilson started off slow, the crowd could be heard booing and calling for Fields. Instead of buckling under the outside noise, the poised veteran did the one thing that needed to be done; he ignored it and remained poised for opportunities.

One thing that has been missing from the play of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense through six weeks of play has been an effective passing game down the field. By the second half, Wilson was throwing touch passes to George Pickens, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, Pat Freiermuth, and others as he read the Jets defense. Russ was dishing, and the offense was cooking.

Wilson finished the game having thrown for two touchdowns, scored one score on a sneak, completed 16 of 29 passes for 264 yards all while still finding ways to spread the offense so that Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren could get yards on the ground.

It was enlightening to see the Steelers play as a complete unit offensively, and do so in an upbeat, complimentary fashion.

In fact, it gave new energy to the fanbase that maybe this team is a contender and Tomlin is crazy as a fox.

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Danny Smith, “mortal enemy to chewing gum” and opponents

A call by officials who flagged Minkah Fitzpatrick for “leverage” on a blocked point-after attempt by the Jets had Smith, the long-time special teams coach, incensed. Rightly so. Replay showed Fitzpatrick hadn’t pushed off to get past T.J. Watt‘s helmet or the Jets lineman, but used his arms to help allow him to jump the gap before raising them for the block.

The Steelers didn’t give up despite the flag allowing the Jets to attempt, and convert, a two-point play. Instead, special teams went out and blocked another field goal. With that, the Steelers became the first team in the NFL with a blocked kick (punt, FG or XP) in three straight games since New England in 2017.

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New stars rising on defense

Pittsburgh loves a Cinderella story.

On a night that saw Alex Highsmith return to the lineup, Watt double-teamed to the max, and both Montravius Adams and Donte Jackson leave the game due to injury, the Steelers defense adjusted their personnel package to try to shunt Breece Hall‘s running abilities and limit Rodgers’ receivers.

An undrafted rookie in the black and gold stepped up and made a statement play that turned the tide in this game.

Beanie Bishop jumped, not one but two, Rodgers throws for interceptions. Both picks involved contested catches that went awry, but Bishop was in the right position to earn the takeaways. His second pick of the game was nearly returned for a touchdown.

In post-game Q&A’s with Tomlin and several individual players the responses that seemed to be a shared sentiment was that on Sunday night, this team came together in a way they hadn’t previously. Those efforts resulted in a big win.

Back to back victories in which the Steelers put up at least 30 points on the scoreboard seems to point to a positive trajectory. If Pittsburgh keeps building off of that, they have the potential to beat any team they face as their schedule becomes more challenging.

What a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Super Bowl team!

Takeaways: Steelers soar past Jets, 37-15 appeared first on Steel City Underground.

Five Steelers to keep an eye on against Jets

With their win in NFL Week 6, the Pittsburgh Steelers moved to 4-2 on the season but will face a highly-ranked defense when they host the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football. Another primetime game and another opportunity to show fans if they’re going to be a contender moving into the more difficult portion of their season schedule. For insights and tips on betting strategies, check out https://www.liontips.com/tips/today Here, we look at five Steelers fans should keep their eye on in this weekend’s game.

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Ryan McCollum

McCollum entered the game against the Las Vegas Raiders for injured center Zach Frazier. McCollum didn’t seem to have any rust to shake off and he helped on several nice blocks, including two touchdown runs.

“What I’ve seen from (McCollum) in general, I’v seen a high intensity guy who’s a heck of a communicator, who’s mature beyond his years. I think that’s why we’re all comfortable continuing to operate the way that we operated a week ago. I think that’s why we’re excited about the opportunity that it is for him.” – head coach Mike Tomlin

The Steelers have had to adapt to an ever-changing offensive line due to injury. Having a steady center will be key against the Jets whose overall ranking is second in the league.

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Russell Wilson and Justin Fields

It’s not a secret that Wilson and Fields both want their name called for Sunday’s game.

Fields has carried the offense this far while Wilson worked his way to full health. After working “in totality,” as Tomlin mentioned this week, it appears the decision will come down to game time. “We’re just walking it day by day, all geared toward putting ourselves in the best position to win the football game,” Tomlin told the media.

With Fields at quarterback, the offense has had big moments but have not been a complete unit. There have been plenty of times it stalled and was unable to to sustain drives. The ball hasn’t often been pushed down the field, but Fields has been able to get out of the pocket and use his legs.

Will Pittsburgh be more of a receiving threat with Wilson leading the offense? Can he still get out of the pocket if pressure collapses onto him? Those are just two legitimate questions… and we’ll only learn the answer if, and when, we see him play.

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Najee Harris

Harris was limited in practice due to a rib issue, but it doesn’t appear to be anything serious. After his performance in Week 6, it’s understandable if he’s a bit sore after the bruising hits he took as he fought for extra yardage in the ground game.

The Jets defense is middle of the pack when it comes to stopping the run. If the offensive line can coordinate the way they did against the Raiders, especially in the second half of that game, Harris could have a big game on Sunday.

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Joey Porter, Jr.

Porter has been tasked with covering the top receiver on opposing offenses this season. With the signing of Davante Adams, Porter will be busy in the Steelers defensive backfield. The Jets have utilized the pass more heavily than the run offensively so far this season.

Porter can’t be an island for all 60 minutes, though. He’ll need Minkah Fitzpatrick and Donte Jackson‘s veteran-level help and good communication as Aaron Rodgers tries to set the tempo to the receiving targets with the best matchups.

Five Steelers to keep an eye on against Jets appeared first on Steel City Underground.

Steelers Scouting Report: New York Jets, Week 7

Steel City Underground scouts the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponents each week of the 2024 NFL regular season ahead of the games to inform fans of the latest news, roster moves, important players, and latest social media chatter.

The 4-2 Pittsburgh Steelers are set to host the 2-4 New York Jets this Sunday night at 7:20 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers will be wearing throwback jerseys that honor the upcoming 50th anniversary of Super Bowl IX; it was the first Lombardi Trophy the team earned and started the dynasty that has endured throughout the years.

A lot has changed in the storied organizations – both having won Super Bowls in the same era with Joe Namath and Terry Bradshaw respectively – and their Sunday matchup will feature two teams who would like to put their own stamp on NFL history. In order to understand in detail the success of the teams, you can also familiarize yourself with the NFL Win Totals.

Here are some of the key factors to scout for in this game.

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Quarterback situations

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has had a rough go of it since returning from injury in 2023. The 40-year old has dealt with miscommunication with his receivers, dropped passes, miscues on the field, the firing of Robert Saleh, and the implementation of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as interim head coach.

Add the dissatisfaction with game officials in the Jets’ loss to the Buffalo Bills and Rodgers’ public airing of grievances and there’s a recipe of uncertainty in where his head is at as he prepares to face the Steelers’ destructive defense during the primetime Sunday Night Football game.

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As for Pittsburgh, the fanbase is restless after head coach Mike Tomlin indicated this week that Russell Wilson and Justin Fields would both prepare for the game as if either would be given the QB1 resignation come gametime. That stirred debate.

Fields has carried the Steelers offense through six weeks. His play has been both hot and cold, but he played his (arguably) best game in black and gold during the Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Is it fair to take the spot from him and give it to Wilson who’s proven nothing on the field this season; a veteran who has only dressed as an emergency quarterback this far and is coming off of a calf injury that limited his practices for weeks?

There’s no easy answer to the questions swirling around the quarterback situation the Steelers have. The true answer will come on Sunday night.

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Which receiver will show up for their team?

After six weeks, Steelers fans are still left wondering why offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has not included more plays to the team’s wide receivers or who, other than George Pickens, is even in consideration for spots on the field. And, even Pickens, had not had a spectacular season this far.

Through six weeks, the Steelers have 107 completed passes for 1,001 yards and five touchdowns.

Looking at those numbers, however, tight end Pat Freiermuth owns 22 of those receptions and 2 touchdowns. Pickens’ stat line is 26 receptions for 363 yards and no touchdown. After that, Calvin Austin has 10 catches for 167 yards and 1 touchdown.

Everything drops off after that. Tight end Darnell Washington and WR Van Jefferson have just 14 catches between them; Washington has a touchdown catch. Connor Hayward (TE) and Scotty Miller (WR) have a combined two touchdown catches out of their total of six snags.

Yes, Pittsburgh wants to run the ball, but those receiving numbers give opponents a heads-up that they can stack the box because they’re not fearing the pass attack.

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As for the Jets, they acquired Davante Adams from the Raiders after he was a scratch in Week 6 against Pittsburgh due to injury. Suddenly, he’s signed-off on playing fully for the Jets. The guy Steelers fans were begging the Steelers to sign wanted a reunion with Rodgers, and he got it.

Garrett Wilson led Jets receivers through six weeks of play with 41 catches for 399 yards followed by Alan Lazard with 26 receptions or 354 yards. That duo has accounted for 8-of-10 receiving touchdowns. Running backs Breece Hall (1) and Braelon Allen (1) accounted for the other two. Tight ends Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert have largely been ignored.

The Jets favor the pass over the run, even though Hall is a dangerous weapon in all aspects offensively.

The addition of Adams may boost the completion totals for Rodgers, and the team, if the duo can get on the same page they were on when both were on the Green Bay Packers roster.

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Jets want big defense performance against Steelers

The Jets defense doesn’t stack up using the eye test against the Steelers defense statistically, but defenses don’t play each other. And the eye-test is often deceptive.

The Jets have made 2 interceptions through six weeks (both by Brandin Echols), defended 21 passes, and forced 4 fumbles. Will McDonald leads the Jets with 7.0 sacks to the 20.0 total the defense shares. Quinnen Williams and Michael Clemons have 2.0 and 2.5 sacks, respectively.

The Steelers will, once again, have a different look on the offensive line in Week 7. Ryan McCollum, who took over at center for an injured Zach Frazier last week, will get the start. James Daniels at left tackle will once again be tasked with leadership with a young line that will be tested.

The Jets defense ranks 2nd in the league in average yards allowed and are 2nd in total defense. Where they have been weaker is in run defense, where they’re currently ranked 17th. In the red zone, they’re ranked 13th.

Steelers Scouting Report: New York Jets, Week 7 appeared first on Steel City Underground.