Would it be a Steelers win if it wasn’t in heart attack fashion? As a long time Steelers fan who has seen many brawls against the Bengals I am not surprised. I knew if the Steelers were going to win this week it was going to go down like this. I was very impressed by the defense early on but even up 17-3 I still knew there was a way for them to mess it up. However, they got the win which is all that matters. Here are my top three takeaways from this week one thriller.
Steelers run D is for real
Besides one big run play by Mixon the Steelers had him shut down. Mixon busted out a big run play for 31 yards. Other than that one fluke play he had 26 carries for 51 yards. That is BARELY 2 yards per carry, the Steelers were ready for him. He ran through the Steelers D in both games last year and this was a statement from the team. Its a statement that they will not be the last ranked run defense in the league this year. With Alualu returning and key additions to the team they will be in the top half of the league in this category. The loss of Tj Watt however really hurts in this category but I think with their additions and this coaching scheme they will still be fine.
Alex Highsmith will make a big leap
Alex Highsmith looked like a mad man out there. He had 9 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 tackles for loss. He capped that stat line off with 4 QB hits. Could this be the year he makes the big leap to super stardom? He’s off to a great start. It seemed as almost every tackle happening Highsmith was in the mix. He was owning the Bengals offensive line. His initial quick burst mixed with his power and savvy technique has him poised for a monster year. To add to this, having Cam Heyward more at his natural spot and having Alualu back to go with a great pass rushing Ogunjobi it will only make it easier for Alex. He has amazing running mates who will command more attention and allow him to be free to make big plays.
No CB1 no problem!
The Steelers secondary was all over the field on Sunday. They were able to contain the run and the secondary was able to play in exotic coverages to keep the Bengals on their toes. Other than the final drive where the Bengals were able to score the Steelers were able to keep the Bengals receivers in check. They did exactly what they always game plan to do. Limit the big plays and bend don’t break. Had not for a stagnant offense to get the defense off the field they would have had an even more dominant performance. They picked off Burrow four times but should have been five one of which was called back on a bad PI call. Minkah Fitzpatrick is a stud. What a great move by former GM Kevin Colbert, Minkah was absolutely everywhere on the field. From the first drive ending in a Minkah touchdown to ball hawking everything you can’t ask for more. Overall I am impressed with everyone in the secondary and expect them to only get better as the season goes on.
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