PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - If this had been a Pittsburgh-Denver hockey game, they would have awarded the 3 Stars of the Game.
You know the drill. Shortly after the final horn of, say, a Penguins 6-4 win over the Avalanche, cue the fanfare , cue PA announcer Ryan Mill who will announce Kris Letang as the third star, Evgeni Malkin as the second star and the number one star … your captain, Sidney Crrrrosssssssby!
So had Larry Richert the same opportunity Sunday at Heinz Field it may have gone something like this – the third star, receiver Chase Claypool … the second star, Ben Roethlisberger … and you're number one star, after his first 100-yard rushing game in the NFL – Najeeee Harrrrris!
All well-deserved since, after all, those 3 stars made significant plays throughout the Steelers much-needed 27-19 win over the Broncos. But please allow me to nominate a handful of unsung heroes for my 5 Stars – down-the-liners who made timely and crucial contributions to help stop the 3-game losing streak.
5. Henry Mondeaux/Isaiahh Lowdermilk Combined, those two guys don't usually get as many snaps as most regular back-ups so I have them sharing a spot. Each had a sack and both came on what ended being a long Denver touchdown drive in the second half and Lowdermilk's was wiped out when Denver was called for holding but that doesn't take away from making plays when they had the opportunity.
4. Ray Ray McCloud He did nothing in the return game and had just one reception for 1 yard. But with the Steelers up, 7-0, in the first quarter Denver's Mike Purcell batted a Roethlisberger pass up in the air and appeared poised to pick it off. It would have given the Broncos the ball inside the Pittsburgh 30 but McCloud threw himself into Purcell to break it up. After everything that transpired later, a forgotten but important play.
3. Benny Snell Snell's day couldn't have gotten off to a worse start. He was called for a holding penalty on the opening kickoff then 5 plays later on 2nd-and-7 he dropped an easy swing pass that would have picked up a first down. Diontae Johnson caught a 50-yard TD pass on the next play but it seemed that Snell would be glued to the bench for the next 3 hours. Instead, after Harris left the game with cramps and since Kalen Ballage is, well, Kalen Ballage, Snell was given another chance and carried the ball 4 times as the Steelers ran the clock to set up a field goal with 2-and-a-half minutes left to make it an 8-point game
2. James Pierre Another redemption story, since the Broncos picked on him quite a bit with Cam Sutton out of the line-up. He also may have received one of the 3 stars, anyway, for icing the game with an end zone interception so including him here may be unfair. But the play he made to chase down running back Javonte Williams and tackle him from behind at the 2-yard line saved 4 points. Williams is also a goat for spiking the ball while the clock was running and that 5-yard penalty helped make the Broncos kick a field goal – 3 points instead of 7.
1. Chuks Okorafor Again, slightly unfair for calling a starter an unsung hero but Okorafor had been widely panned for being the weakest link in an offensive line that was weak to begin with. With Chuks coming out of concussion protocol and Joe Haeg coming off a decent game in Green Bay – in fact, the entire line was improved - it seemed they'd stick with Haeg. Instead the coaches went back to Okorafor, in part because he'd had success against Von Miller in the past. While he had tight end help, Okorafor held Miller to two tackles, no sacks and no quarterback hits
