Robert Spillane rose to the challenge
Robert Spillane probably didn’t go into the season thinking that he was going to become a full-time starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. The team traded up to draft Devin Bush with the 10th overall pick in 2019, and he was having a solid season before an ACL tear against the Cleveland Browns cut his season well short.
Spillane was forced to start his first game against an undefeated Tennessee Titans team last week. While he had a solid day against the run, many questioned his ability in pass coverage. His second start of his career came against the Baltimore Ravens, and in his first play in coverage in Week 8, Spillane picked off a pass from Lamar Jackson and took it to the house for a 33-yard score.
Though the young linebacker was responsible for giving up a 34-yard reception to Willie Snead, he did a very good job overall in coverage, and had another play where he knocked the ball out of the hands of a Ravens receiver on third down.
At the end of the day, it’s hard to find many negative things to say about Spillane in just his second NFL start. He doesn’t have the speed and athleticism of a player like Devin Bush, but he wasn’t lacking in splash plays.