PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Back over .500 and a game out of first in the AFC North, the 5 takeaways from the Steelers 34-22 win over the Colts on Sunday, starting with an amazing performance from Jaylen Warren.
1-Warren top dog
Finally getting the opportunity to be the lead tailback, due to the injury to Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren has been a force. In the last three games he’s combined for 490 yards (321 rushing) as the Steelers won two of the three. He’s also provided what this team has mostly missed for a half-decade, explosive plays. And he does it with such humility.
“Like I said, it's a credit to my teammates for achieving stats like that,” Warren said.
2-D stepped up against Taylor
Talk before the game was after missing 17 tackles against the Browns, how this defense would fare against one of the elite backs in the NFL. Steelers held Jonathan Taylor to 45 yards rushing for the second straight meeting.
“Not only were we not in the right place at the right time last week, when you turn on the tape it wasn’t the Pittsburgh Steeler way,” said linebacker Payton Wilson. “We weren’t really playing for each other. I think today, there are always going to be mistakes, but I think when you turn on the film you are going to see guy flying around and the love we have for one another really showed today. Those relationships we built all the way back to St. Vincent. Playing hard, playing physical and playing fast.”
3-Offensive line rebounded
Colts aren’t a team this season that have gotten a ton of pressure on the quarterback, but the Steelers were coming off a game where they gave up 10 quarterback hits and five sacks. This week, Indy got two quarterback hurries and one sack.
“Pass pro was phenomenal,” said Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. “Barely got touched, other than Grover [Stewart] hitting me early in the game and a sack when we didn't pass off a twist. I thought the line blocked really well. I thought we run-blocked well. I thought we finished the game in the four-minute nicely, and the pocket was nice.
Can they put back-to-back weeks together, Tampa Bay is top half in pressures in the NFL?
4-Rodgers stats
42-year-old Aaron Rodgers has three straight games with three touchdown passes in each. To put it in perspective with other quarterbacks before the Monday night game between the Bills and Rams:
- Only three quarterbacks have more TD passes than Rodgers this year
- Rodgers has more touchdown passes than—Patrick Mahomes, Drake Maye, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Bo Nix
- Rodgers has four interceptions in 184 attempts, one given to the defense off a receivers’ hands
- He’s ninth in passing yards (1,234)
It’s still a long season, but Rodgers is playing at a high level and the offense has been mostly good the last few weeks barring some issues for two quarters in Cleveland. Regardless they, and he, have improved greatly since a rough start.
5-Boz is well
You talk to anyone on the South Side, whether it be a player or coach, and they’ll tell you they weren’t concerned about three early season misses by Chris Boswell. The All-Pro kicker made both of his attempts on Sunday on a wet field and through some rain early in the game. Boswell connected from 48 and 54 yards and if nothing else reaffirmed any changes he was making during practice last week.
If the Steelers are going to be a playoff team, Boswell will be one of their most important offensive players. Last year the Steelers won 10 games, seven by one score. In eight of those 10 wins, Boswell made at least one field goal.
