Steelers vs. Jaguars: 6 Winners and 5 Losers after the Steelers’ 20-16 win over the Jaguars

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars took part in a big prime time game in Florida in Week 11, and the Steelers presented their loyal fan base their sixth straight with after a 20-16 win over the Jaguars.

During the game, some perform well, while others fall short of the standard. This is where the Winners and Losers column comes in. After the game, when the dust settles, we decipher who falls into which category.

As always, feel free to comment on the list in the comment section below. Be part of the conversation!

Winners

Ben Roethlisberger
Stat Line: 27/47, 314 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, 1 Rushing TD, 2 sacks

It wasn’t pretty, but Big Ben showed up when he was needed. Did anyone wonder how in the world he ended up throwing for over 300 yards like I did? Nonetheless, Roethlisberger’s 4th quarter heroics earn him a spot with the winners this week.

JuJu Smith-Schuster
Stat Line: 8 receptions, 104 yards, 10 targets, 13.0 average

There might be some hiccups with Smith-Schuster, like the drop he had vs. the Ravens, but he is as clutch as they come. The back shoulder catches against both stellar Jaguars’ cornerbacks showed just how good he is, and can be. He might not have gotten into the end zone, but JuJu earned this spot in Week 11.

Vance McDonald
Stat Line: 3 receptions, 27 yards, 1 TD, 6 targets

The legend of the Vanimal lives on as McDonald had another impressive performance, capped by his second straight game with a receiving touchdown. McDonald is a unique type of tight end. He isn’t the fastest, but he can essentially do it all. Block, catch and run over helpless defensive backs in the process.

T.J. Watt
Stat Line: 6 total tackles, 6 solo, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QB Hits, 2 forced fumbles

Watt did something in Week 11 many wondered if it would ever happen in the near future. He hit the double-digit sack total (10) for 2018. The last OLB to do that? James Harrison in 2010. Yeah, it’s been that long. Watt played a great game, and regardless of how it looks, he gets the job done.

Javon Hargrave
Stat Line: 4 tackles, 4 solo, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 1 PD, 2 QB Hits

He might not be Casey Hampton, but Hargrave made a strong case for him to see the field more down the stretch. He filled in for Stephon Tuitt on occasion, and took advantage of his opportunities with a two sack day. Hargrave had the best game of his young NFL career on Sunday in Jacksonville.

Jordan Berry
Stat Line: 6 punts, 306 yards, 1 TB, 1 inside the 20, 63 yard long, 51 average

I have beaten up on Berry’s play this season a lot in the weekly feature, and I will give him praise when it is due. On Sunday, when the Steelers’ offense was stalling left and right throughout the first three quarters, Berry had a tremendous game to help flip the field and bail out the struggling offense. Kudos to Berry for his performance, now if we all can see some consistency on his part...

Losers

Ben Roethlisberger
Stat Line: 27/47, 314 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs, 1 Rushing TD, 2 sacks

It is rare, but every now and then a player will be on both the Winner and Loser list. Big Ben finds himself in rarefied air after Week 11. Roethlisberger’s play early in the game was atrocious. His passes were off, he was seeing ghosts due to a good pass rush and was turning the ball over. He definitely righted the ship, but lets not forget just how bad he played early in the game.

James Conner
Stat Line: 9 rushes, 25 yards, 6 catches 24 yards, 9 targets

I love James Conner, but today wasn’t his day. While the Steelers abandoned the run, and rightfully so, early, Conner finds his way on the loser list for his play as a receiver. Dropping a critical 4th down conversion, and a would-be game winning touchdown were back breaking plays. The hope is the young back learns from it, and improves down the stretch. I bet he will bounce back in a big way next week.

Matt Feiler
Stat Line: Roethlisberger sacked twice, 6 QB hits surrendered

The fill-in for Marcus Gilbert has been tremendous the past two games, but the Jaguars’ defensive front was a different beast for the man they call “The Anchor”. Feiler learned a few things on Sunday in Jacksonville, and his play looked like a backup. The standard was set high for Feiler, but I think we all saw the team needs Gilbert healthy when they face Von Miller next week in Denver.

1st Half Rush Defense
Stat Line: Over 100 yards surrendered in 1st half

The Steelers allowed just over 90 yards on the ground, on average, entering Week 11, and they surrendered more than that in the first half to Leonard Fournette, Carlos Hyde and T.J. Yeldon. They buttoned things up in the second half, but the first half was dreadful. I know they missed Stephon Tuitt, but that much? Not so sure. The hope is teams haven’t found the blueprint for success against the Pittsburgh defense.

3rd Down Offense:
Stat Line: 3-for-11 on the day

The Steelers came into Week 11 sporting the top ranked red-zone offense, and third in the league when it came to third down efficiency. After the Jaguars game this ranking could drop. The Steelers’ offense never got into anything resembling a rhythm on those key conversion