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DB’s Steelers Dudes & Duds: D-Line Stands Out, Rough Night for Rodgers
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- DB’s Steelers Dudes & Duds: D-Line Stands Out, Rough Night for Rodgers
The Pittsburgh Steelers couldn't pull off the upset on the West Coast, as they fell to the Los Angeles Chargers 25-10 in a game that never seemed like much of a threat. The defense kept things close until late, but a truly anemic showing offensively was just far too much to overcome. Not only does this open the door for the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, but the loss could have Wild Card implications down the road. Mike Tomlin's club will have a chance at revenge next weekend, as they host the Cincinnati Bengals .
Before we turn the page, let's take a look at some winners and losers from tonight's showdown.
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Dude: IDL Keeanu Benton
Coming off his best game of the season last week versus the Indianapolis Colts , Benton turned in another strong performance tonight. He tied for the team lead with four pressures and added a couple of run stops for good measure. Granted this outing was against some pretty weak competition, it's been really encouraging to see the third-year pro bounce back after a rough start to the season. Throughout his young career, we've seen flashes of disruption, and it finally seems like it's turning into legitimate production.
Dud: QB Aaron Rodgers
There's no sugar coating this one: the future first-ballot Hall of Famer was abysmal tonight, finishing the game with -0.5 EPA/play and a 37% success rate. The offensive line had a couple quick losses early in the game, and he seemed spooked from that point forward, dropping his eyes quickly, throwing off his back foot, and making poor decisions with the football. He was actually only pressured on 23% of his dropbacks and went 0-5, taking five sacks and a safety in the process. As an offense, they went 2-11 on third down, and it's obviously pretty difficult to win games when you can't stay on the field.
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig before a agme against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 1, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Dude(s): EDGE Rusher Trio
Los Angeles was playing with their backup tackles in this one, and the Steelers' edge rushers were able to take advantage of that. Watt, Herbig, and Highsmith (2) all got home in this one, and it felt like they were winning a fair amount of their individual matchups, making Justin Herbert a bit antsy in the pocket. Most of the Chargers' success through the air came off quick throws, a formula that teams have spammed all season long. Other than being unable to generate a turnover, you can't ask for much more than what they brought to the table in this one.
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Dud: CB Brandin Echols
It was certainly a rough performance for Echols, with three catches for 89 yards and a touchdown when matched up with Chargers wideout Ladd McConkey . Late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers had a chance to get off the field on third down, only behind 12 points at that point. Echols actually matched the crossing route step for step but couldn't break up the pass at the catch point, and it went for 58 yards instead. Echols is a much better fit on the boundary, but with Jalen Ramsey now transitioning to centerfield, they don't really have other options. In fairness to him, it felt like a mistake not giving him more help, similar to what they did last week.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren in a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 21, 2024 — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Dude: RB Jaylen Warren
There are very few things about this team that are consistent, but you can always count on Warren's determination every time he touches the rock. He got off to a bit of a slow start on the ground but still managed a solid 43% rushing success rate on the night. He was able to evade Derwin James in the backfield to turn a loss into a sweet 18-yard gain on a screen pass. Unfortunately, the Steelers inexplicably went away from the hot hand once they got near the red zone, with Rodgers throwing the ball three straight times.
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Dud: WR Calvin Austin III
Just days after the trade deadline passed without the Steelers acquiring a wide receiver, Austin didn't exactly do anything to calm the concerns of Steelers Nation. He dropped two balls; the first was inconsequential to the outcome of the game, but the second directly led to an interception. The Memphis product finished with just two catches for 14 yards. In order for this offense to survive against quality defenses, they need the auxiliary pieces to start making more plays and punish coordinators for allocating so much attention to DK Metcalf .
Dud: PR Ke'Shawn Williams
The special teams units have been an overwhelming positive for the vast majority of this season, but even they had an off night. The Chargers have really struggled to cover kicks this season, but instead of adding a splash, Williams muffed a punt late in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, the game was already decided at that point. However, if your sole role is being a return man, you can't put the ball on the ground. Judging by how things went tonight, don't be shocked if Marquez Valdes-Scantling is called up next week, with Austin taking back the role of returning punts.
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Dud: OC Arthur Smith
Placing the blame solely on the offensive coordinator is the laziest thing that you can do in times like this, but some level of criticism is definitely warranted here. With just over three minutes left in the game, the Steelers had a grand total of three points and multiple giveaways. Pat Freiermuth , who is so clearly the team's best pass-catching tight end, remains an afterthought in an offense that is desperate for playmakers. All offseason long, the entire coaching staff sold us the dream that the addition of Jonnu Smith would alleviate the WR2 concerns, and he finished with just four total yards in the loss. The tape will provide more clarity on what exactly went wrong, but the final result wasn't close to good enough.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : DB's Steelers Dudes & Duds: D-Line Stands Out, Rough Night for Rodgers
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