5 winners and 4 losers from Steelers 27-24 win vs. Titans

Loser: Joe Haden

While Watt and the run defense played well altogether, the pass defensive woes reared their ugly head. Though most of the players could have been listed here, one of the most obvious issues was Joe Haden. He has played solid ball for most of the year, but seemed a step slower than he usually was this week. This was evident by some of the receivers that beat him by relying on their athletic traits.

Haden has been the best coverage cornerback this season to this point, but his struggles in this game were apparent – especially in the second half. The Titans began utilizing more up-tempo play calls that got the ball in their playmakers’ hands. This resulted in shorter passed which turned into bigger gains. All the while, Haden played closer to his age, struggling to adjust to this and counter the suddenly moving Titans offense.

While this game certainly won’t spell the end of Haden as a top cornerback in this league, it is evidence that Father Time is right around the corner. Though this was Haden’s worst game of the season, ideally, there is reason to believe he will rebound in the coming weeks. That said, the Steelers need to remember that he will be out of this league sooner than later. It may be time for Pittsburgh to add a rookie to this group to spark some serious competition.