It was yet another tough loss this week, and here are the winners and losers from the Steelers 27-17 loss to the Packers.
Despite losing two games straight, the Steelers came out looking mostly the same against the Packers. Even with a hot start, the offense quickly stalled out and the defense didn’t play well enough to overcome it.
While it was a tough loss, there were some players who looked solid while on the field. Likewise, there were quite a few that disappointed in Week 4. Here are the three winners and three losers from the Steelers’ week four loss to the Packers:
Steelers winner: Melvin Ingram
Though his stats don’t show it on the surface, Melvin Ingram is having a dominant season as an edge rusher. No matter if he has been rotating in, starting, or playing for others due to injury, he has been consistently in the face of the opposing quarterback. While his sack numbers aren’t gaudy, his overall play has told a different story.
In the past two weeks, we saw what Ingram could do as a starter in place of injured edge rushers. This week, he reentered more of a rotation once again. Despite the reduction in playing time, Ingram was still regularly pressuring Aaron Rodgers. His consistent play has been one of the only reasons this defense hasn’t completely caved in on itself.
Ingram has been stout in all facets and is deserving of some praise for what he has been able to do. The defense hasn’t been an elite unit since week one, but the former Pro Bowler has been a bright spot on this unit.
Steelers losers: The coaches
There isn’t much that can be said about this coaching staff right now. Despite the team struggling heavily in the past few weeks, Pittsburgh came out with mostly the same looks. While the offense was off to a hot start on the first drive, they quickly reverted back to their old ways and focused on plays that are predictable.
At this point, the team isn’t just checking down; the check-downs are the legitimate play calls. Even in long-distance situations, the Steelers seem content to just throw the ball short despite defenses expecting it. This works when defenders are covering the deep ball. It doesn’t work when defenses keep their players close because they know the short pass is coming.
Add in the defense falling short of their earlier dominance and you have a team on a three-game losing skid that seems content to call the same plays despite them not working before. Mike Tomlin, Matt Canada, and Kieth Butler are all deserving of some blame for this start.
Each has the potential to be better. Until they stop calling limited and predictable plays, this team won’t have a chance at being great.
Steelers winner: Chris Wormley
One of the more overshadowed and unsung Steelers this season has been Chris Wormley. Starting in place of Stephon Tuitt, Wormley has the tall task of replicating the elite play that Tuitt provides. While he hasn’t been at that level, he has routinely been solid at stopping the run and getting after the quarterback.
Wormley was also responsible for a key play this week. With the Packers driving in the third quarter, Wormley wrapped up Aaron Jones and forced the strip-sack which the defense recovered. While the ensuing drive didn’t amount to much, his stop was key in keeping points off the Packers’ board. Green Bay was moving with ease on that drive, so getting the stop there was key.
While the Steelers’ defensive line has seen some regression due to injury, Wormley has been a surprisingly solid revelation. While the defense should still be anxiously anticipating Tuitt’s return, having a capable rotational backup in Wormley is a good thing. Wormley has played well in a less than desirable position and that was evident in this game.
Steelers losers: Run Defense
Though Wormley has been surprisingly good as a reserve, the rest of the defensive line rotation hasn’t been as strong. Ever since Tyson Alualu went down in week two, this line has struggled to stop the run successfully. Even in the week one victory over the Bills, this group still wasn’t stopping the run as effectively as they did in 2020.
The Packers had a field day in the second half moving the ball on the ground. It seemed like it wasn’t until the defense stacked the box, the Packers had no issues moving the ball. Worse yet, the Steelers successfully held Jones in the first half. He had a few decent runs, but for the most part, the defense had his number. It was AJ Dillon that took the lead in the second half.
He led the Packers with 81 rushing yards, almost two-thirds of the 131 total rushing yards that Green Bay had on the day. Despite being the technical backup, Dillon was a force that the Steelers couldn’t stop. It was brutal to see a reserve back do so much damage to this defense. Guys like Isaiah Buggs and Isaiahh Loudermilk have to get better and soon as this defensive line needs better production from their starters.
Steelers winner: Najee Harris
While his overall yardage wasn’t as high as it was last week, Najee Harris had arguably his best game as a rookie so far. He finally upped his rushing average up a bit, but most importantly Harris looked like a back that can play at an elite level. There was never a play that he didn’t fight for extra yardage and fall forward for extra yards. He also added his first-ever rushing touchdown.
Frankly, this is the type of game Harris needs. His rushing was so brutal and effective that the team could rely on him even when they were down. Running the ball didn’t seem like a lost cause ever, something that can’t be said for how this offense has treated the rushing game lately. Harris looked like a legitimate difference-maker on the offense.
While he didn’t catch as many passes as he did last week, he was still effective when used as a receiver. Add in his solid day on the ground and he has strung together two extremely solid games. If this line can do a little more for him and the team as a whole can keep games close, Harris could become more of an X factor each week as the team relies more on the running game.
Steelers loser: Ben Roethlisberger
Unfortunately for the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger is becoming a regular on the losers list here. Despite making fewer mistakes than in recent games, Roethlisberger is still struggling to get this offense moving. He far too constantly settles for the check-down and when he does go deep, the results have been mostly bad. Simply put, he is holding back this offense.
On the day, he had 232 yards passing and a nice score to Diontae Johnson (who had a solid game in his own right), but what he missed on the field was tough to watch. He had JuJu Smith-Schuster twice for what would have been touchdowns, but bad passes caused the plays to end incomplete. Some of his off-the-mark passes have been hard to watch.
Ben leading the offense is just as hard to watch. He isn’t just settling for the check-down pass; he is actively looking for it and targeting it. No, his offensive line isn’t giving him as much time as previous seasons, but on some plays, Roethlisberger is content to throw it short instead of giving the play a chance to open up.
On early downs, this can be overcome. On third and fourth down though it ends drives. His play has been subpar this year, and he didn’t do anything to turn anything around this week against the Packers.
It has been about as tough of a start for the Steelers as one could have imagined through four games. Despite a surprising win in week one, this team has regressed to repetitive play-calling and has little focus on making significant improvements on the field. Even with some individuals shining, this team is in bad shape through four weeks.