The Pittsburgh Steelers once again found a way to lose on Thursday night on the road against the Browns. It seems like a perennial curse for this team.
It was a really up-and-down game, with the highs being noteworthy but the lows standing out just as much. It really feels like the Steelers are an average team that sometimes break out with an above-average performance in the middle of a game.
There is certainly a lot to work on during this extended break before Week 5.
DK Metcalf finally finds himself on the Pittsburgh Steelers' winners list after Week 4
Winner: Roman Wilson
Roman Wilson has been far from perfect this season, but like it or not, he is currently playing like the top receiver for the Steelers. He can consistently beat his man and uses his athleticism to make some big plays. We saw both of those traits on display this week.
His touchdown pass wasn't anything that impressive. A small pop pass while Wilson was in motion. His speed won out as he took the pass the distance for the first score of the game.
Later in the second quarter, he beat his coverage in the slot and turned it into a long catch-and-run. Thankfully, he didn't counter his positives with a notable negative play.
He has quietly become a core member of this offense. You could argue that he is the top receiver on this team right now.
Winner: Jaylen Warren
Give me an offense made entirely of Jaylen Warren. I'm convinced you wouldn't lose a game.
Warren runs hard every time he touches the ball. He isn't the biggest or the fastest, but he constantly gives his all. Another game over 100 yards is further evidence of his talent.
Even when the offense was stalling out, Warren was still finding ways to win. He is finally getting his shot to be the guy this year, with Rico Dowdle injured. He is proving what a lot of us already knew. Warren is a gem and an underrated star on this offense.
Winner: DK Metcalf
Finally, DK Metcalf actually looked effective for this offense. Gone were the drops, gaffes, and mistakes, and in their place were some big plays and contested catches.
While five catches for 115 yards isn't a barn burner, it feels like he finally had a good connection this week. If Metcalf wants to be viewed as a top receiver in the league (and the best receiver on the Steelers), he needs more games like this.
Loser: Daylen Everette
The third-round pick from Georgia has had a lot of hype since joining the Steelers. With Joey Porter Jr. now out the door, the expectation is that Daylen Everette will have to take on a bigger role despite being a third-round pick this year.
He has looked ok in limited action, but when needed for a longer stretch after Jamel Dean was injured, the results weren't pretty. Denzel Boston burned him for a long completion shortly after Everette got onto the field. He also nearly had a massive pass interference call that would have erased Robert Spears-Jennings' interception.
If Everette is going to be the guy so soon, he needs to play better than he did. It was a humbling experience for the rookie, and it casts doubt on how pro-ready he actually is.
Loser: Aaron Rodgers
I'm not sure I've ever seen such an up-and-down game from Aaron Rodgers. His first drive was sharp, and then he completely imploded for the second and third quarters. He finally returned to form in the fourth, but there are some obvious problems.
Some of his decisions seem so rushed and premature. Despite those bad choices, he constantly gets frustrated with everyone else around him. Add in his horrible pocket presence, and it has proven costly.
No, the offensive line wasn't great, but Rodgers immobility does them little favors. He gets erratic, which leads to sacks and bad plays. At his best, he is a capable game manager. At his worst, he looks like a complete disaster at quarterback.
Loser: Max Iheanachor
That was a quick honeymoon period. After a good first game as a starter, Max Iheanachor came screaming back to earth against the Browns. He was constantly giving up pressure on the right side of the line.
As stated, Rodger does his offensive line no help by not being able to move in the pocket and taking sacks, but Iheanachor was a notable weak link this week. He certainly has a lot to prove before he can be counted on as a future for this position.
Loser: The Defense
Patrick Graham has been given a lot of praise this year as his defense has impressed at times. Against Cleveland, some warts were on display.
The Browns haven't exactly been a great unit this year on offense, yet the Steelers made them look dynamic. Missed tackles, soft coverage, and poor play calling allowed Cleveland to dominate the middle portion of this game.
For as highly paid as this defense is, you would have expected a better output from that unit. Instead, they allowed the Browns to control the majority of the game, and it cost them in the end.
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