If the Pittsburgh Steelers were to emerge victorious in Week 1 against the Falcons, we knew Mike Tomlin would rely on his defense heavily. That is what they did. Nobody was surprised to see T.J. Watt steal the show and prove to be the most dominant player on the team for the umpteenth year in a row.
Offensively, Justin Fields and company went the whole sixty minutes without being able to punch the ball in the endzone -- though he did lead his team to six scoring drives that resulted in field goals.
The results on the offensive side of the ball didn't wow us. Most of Pittsburgh's top performers came on defense, and splash plays were once again the theme. But there's a Steelers rookie on offense who was the unsung hero of Pittsburgh's Week 1 win against the Falcons.
Zach Frazier had an excellent Steelers debut in Week 1
Unless you were watching the offensive line closely in the season opener, you probably didn't notice Zach Frazier. The rookie center was thrust into action to begin the season after Nate Herbig was lost for the year with a shoulder injury.
Frazier did not disappoint.
When I watched the Steelers vs. Falcons tape the second time through and focused on the offensive line, Frazier caught my eye. His dominant performance was impressive.
In his first-ever NFL game, the West Virginia product showcased poise and mechanics well beyond his years. Because of this, there was hardly an assignment that Frazier wasn't able to execute to a tee.
This performance is even more important when you consider all the context attached. Not only was Frazier making his first NFL start, but he did so against a stout Falcons defensive line which included matchups against Pro Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Jarrett has NFL starts under his belt and has racked up 35.5 sacks over the years.
While Garrett was still a force at times against the Steelers, it wasn't Frazier's doing. Instead, the rookie showed outstanding ability to turn and seal his man as well as get to the second level in the running game.
We are only one week into the 2024 season, but Frazier currently has the 8th-best grade among all NFL centers, according to Pro Football Focus. On 69 offensive snaps, Frazier earned an overall grade of 70.1 while notching an impressive pass-block grade of 83.3.
Frazier is already proving why some NFL Draft experts believed he was worthy of being selected in the first round. The Steelers' 2024 second-round pick may not be the quickest or most physically imposing center in the league, but he's got a well-balanced collection of tools and traits that could make him a top-10 center in the league if he keeps up at this rate.