The Steelers got the ship back on course this week as they beat the hapless Raiders in Week 6. The passing game was still a bit of an issue, as this team failed to exploit a bad Raiders cornerback room, but they still found a way to score and ultimately win impressively. Considering the last two games ended so poorly, it was a needed win.
It wasn’t perfect though. Early on, the Raiders moved the ball with ease and the Steelers remain one of the most conservative offenses in the league. Wins are hard to come by though and it gets Pittsburgh back and moving in the right direction. Here are four winners and two losers from the Week 6 win.
Steelers winners:
Najee Harris
Finally. Najee Harris had a game worth writing about. The former first-round pick looked like his usual plodding self all season, but he finally had a strong game against the Raiders. He got a long touchdown run, two things that have eluded him this season, and broke tackles close to the line of scrimmage to get him into space. It was easily his best game of the season.
T.J. Watt
This shows you just the kind of impact you can have despite a lackluster stat sheet. If you are just box-score scouting, you wouldn’t highlight T.J. Watt as an elite performing player. He was constantly ball-hunting though, and he made the Raiders pay with multiple forced fumbles. Just another reason he is one of the most complete defenders in the NFL.
Patrick Queen
I have been as questionable on Patrick Queen as anyone, but he put everything together well this week en route to his best game in a Steelers uniform. He seemed to be more instinctive and all over the place, constantly showing up to make the stop. He still has a lot to prove, but he is getting better every week.
The Arthur Smith offense
It took six weeks, but we finally saw the perfect rendition of the Arthur Smith Steelers offense with Justin Fields at the helm. The defense was dominant and got takeaways while the rushing offense was steady. I’m skeptical long term on this working, but it looked great this week. As for Fields, his running was impressive, but I need to see more passing yards if I want to believe in this offense with him as the starter. He looked shaky this week through the air, to say the least.
Steelers losers:
George Pickens
It wasn’t an objectively bad game from George Pickens. While his stats were low, the entire passing offense was once again mediocre. The team tried to get him involved early though, and he seemed to miss quite a few passes early on. It would have been nice to see him go off for a big game to remind everyone how talented he is. At least there weren’t any outbursts.
Jaylen Warren
I am as big of a Jaylen Warren fan as anyone, but he struggled in his first game back today. He looked a touch slower than usual and wasn’t as instinctive as you usually see him when he hits the hole. He may not be fully healthy yet, and I hope for bigger performances soon.