Pittsburgh Steelers: Five players that stood out against Tampa Bay

Mike Hilton

On a night where the defense had many highs and many lows, Mike Hilton was a part of a lot of the highs.

Hilton has blossomed in his role as the nickel corner. He isn’t necessarily the best coverage guy, but is usually in the right position, and that is key in making plays. Monday night in Tampa Bay was no different.

Hilton recovered a fumble forced by Artie Burns in the 2nd quarter. The Steelers scored a touchdown two plays later. He also had a interception, catching a pass batted in the air by Jon Bostic, which ended a Tampa Bay drive in the red zone.

Being a part of takeaways is always great, but Hilton was also a great tackler tonight, finishing with five total (tied for second on the team). Unfortunately, it was on his last tackle of the game where he injured his elbow, in which he was on the ground in considerable pain. Head coach Mike Tomlin called his injury “significant” in his post-game press conference.

If Hilton misses time, it could really hurt an already struggling Steelers secondary. His presence was felt in Tampa Bay.