The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots went head-to-head in Week 7 of the regular season, and the Steelers saw the Patriots leave Heinz Field with a 27-16 victory..
However, after every game there are players who deserve praise, and some who deserve to be tagged a 'loser'. See who falls into which category as the team now heads into Week 6 of the NFL regular season.
Winners
Landry Jones
The Pittsburgh Steelers weren't the winning team in Week 7, but it wasn't because of No. 3. Yes, he threw a bad interception after the defense caused a fumble in the first quarter, but his 281 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception performance was certainly enough for the Steelers to win. Many will argue me with this selection, but while most thought this game was over before it started, Jones was a big reason why they were in the game till late in the game.
Jarvis Jones
For someone who gets almost as much criticism as Landry Jones does, Jarvis Jones had a very good game in Week 7. It was Jones who caused the fumble early in the first half, recovering the ball himself, and being a force on the field. Jones ended the day with the second most tackles on the team, with 7 total, a tackle for a loss and one of only two quarterback hits. A solid day for a defense who didn't have many game changing players on the field.
Le'Veon Bell
What else can you say about Bell as a player? The guy can flat out do it all. Rushing 21 times for 81 yards, catching 10 passes for 68 yards, 149 yards from scrimmage on 31 touches. Amazing to watch him play. The Patriots kept him bottled up, but his versatility was evident everywhere, except in the red zone, which wasn't his fault.
Antonio Brown
The Steelers needed their big play makers to make big plays, and they got that from Bell and Brown. Brown had 7 catches for 106 yards, and one rush for 13 yards. He left the game in the second half after a defender drove his knee into his hip, but was able to return. Brown and Jones certainly had a great rapport, but they weren't able to cash in when it mattered most, in the red zone.
Honorable Mention: Cobi Hamilton, Darrius Heyward-Bey
Losers
Chris Boswell
I don't blame Boswell for the missed 54-yard field goal for a lot of reasons. They shouldn't have gone for the kick anyways, but making 50+ yard field goals at Heinz Field is no easy task. The 46-yard miss, on the other hand, wasn't pretty. On the national broadcast, it took Jim Nantz a minute to realize the kick sailed wide right. Not the best day for the not-often-used place kicker.
Rush Defense
Over the past two weeks the Steelers have given up over 300 yards rushing. In two games. Think about that for a second. I'll make this as simple as possible...the team is missing Cameron Heyward in all kinds of ways. The bye week couldn't come at a better time for Heyward, Shazier and company to finally get their health right.
Anyone Covering Rob Gronowski
You knew it was coming. When the first half only saw one reception to Gronk for 13 yards, you knew he would be a factor in the second half, and he was. Gronkowski finished with 4 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, and make several defensive backs look small and weak. They should be able to find some solace in knowing he does that to a lot of people on a weekly basis.
Officials
Same old song and dance. Another loss and another week when the officials are still a talking point. There were some really questionable calls, on both sides. Pass interference calls, the personal foul for Artie Burns tackling a ball carrier too hard, and we could go on. Just seems ridiculous this is still a narrative after all this time, but it is.