The Steelers get business done in Baltimore and have punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 16-13 win in overtime. Here are their impressive performances.
The Pittsburgh Steelers clinch a Wild Card spot thanks to the Raiders kicking a game-winning field goal on Sunday Night Football and Chris Boswell drilling his in overtime for the win. Roethlisberger had a better game than his last as he topped 240 yards and threw a touchdown to Chase Claypool that put the Steelers ahead late in regulation.
T.J. Watt tied the sack record at 22.5 but may ultimately break it if the NFL gives him a sack that was ruled a tackle from early in the 1st quarter. Here are three impressive players that helped the Steelers in big ways:
Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
Minkah Fitzpatrick made probably the most crucial play on defense while the game was on the line and he proved once again why he is in Pittsburgh. Late in the game when Baltimore was driving with around 25 seconds to go, Fitzpatrick knocked the ball out of Marquise Brown’s hands. If Minkah didn’t do that, the pass would’ve been completed and Baltimore would have 1st & 10 around the Pittsburgh 47-yard line.
The Ravens ended up banking on Justin Tucker to tie things up and it once again paid off for them. Fitzpatrick tallied 5 total tackles and 1 assist on the game and was a helpful body in Pittsburgh’s run defense, or what they thought was run defense.
Fitzpatrick isn’t a turnover machine this season but is equally as helpful. Minkah is likely our best run defender that isn’t on the defensive line and he has been stopping breaks way runs or even runs before they’ve had a chance to break away. He has been a hard hitter and also made very timely pass breakups just like he did on Sunday.
Minkah is due for a contract this offseason and with Pittsburgh’s current cap situation a deal will most certainly get done as long as both sides want to remain together. The Steelers must prioritize getting his deal done or things might become tricky with free agency and who the team wants to invest money into if they will at all.