Although such rankings are subjective, arousing significant disagreement, two Pittsburgh Steelers ranked in the top PFF 50: T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward. Watt ranked as the 7th best player in the NFL, and Heyward ranked as the 19th best. PFF considers Los Angeles Ram Aaron Donald the best player in the league. What makes Donald better than T.J. Watt, though? Yes, he played an instrumental role in the Rams winning Super Bowl LVI. Without question, Donald is a phenomenal player, one of the NFL’s best. However, to say he’s better than Watt (and all other players) is unsubstantiated.
PFF noted how exceptional T.J. Watt performed the past two seasons. “Over the past two seasons, Watt leads the league in sacks and sack rate despite rushing the passer over 450 fewer times than some of the players behind him,” PFF reports. Watt is Pittsburgh’s MVP. Over the past two seasons, he knocked down twelve passes and forced seven fumbles. With an offense that experienced some struggles (an understatement, right?) the last two seasons, Watt led the effort to keep the Steelers in games. Watt makes his teammates better. He makes the Steelers better.
Does Aaron Donald have the same impact? PFF should have at least ranked T.J. Watt as the 2nd best player in the NFL. Since the Rams won Super Bowl LVI, PFF might feel pressure to label a Rams player as the best in the NFL. No player on the Rams can reasonably justify such a designation other than Donald.
Two Pittsburgh Steelers Ranked in Top PFF 50 in NFL
We can argue ad nauseum about who the best player in the NFL is and who are the best fifty players in the league. PFF accurately identifies Pittsburgh’s two best defensive players: T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward. With Ben Roethlisberger no longer leading the offense, these two players must continue to deliver remarkable performances each game. No reason to doubt they will not—if they remain healthy. They must, however, make greater strides in assisting others to become impact players.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is a Valuable Defensive Asset
Minkah Fitzpatrick, who agreed to a four-year extension worth more than $73.6 million, must play as prominent a role as Watt and Heyward in leading the defense and aiding his teammates in improving their performance from last season.
One can make a case for Fitzpatrick to be in the top PFF 50. Again, such rankings are subjective, and we should employ them for what they are worth.
Fitzpatrick is a player the Steelers need to experience success as they confront a brutal schedule.
Brian Flores Can Improve Pittsburgh Steelers Defense
Mike Tomlin’s decision to add Brain Flores as a senior defensive assistant coach working primarily with inside linebackers was brilliant. Although many people concentrate on the racial discrimination lawsuit Flores has brought against the NFL, and rightfully so, he is an excellent defensive coach. The defensive players already love playing for him. His defensive philosophy centers on discipline and physicality. Steelers fans can only hope his contributions move the defense closer to the dominant defense they are accustomed to witnessing.
