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The Steelers were on the brink of elimination and there only hope not to fall in a debilitating 1-5 hole was a third-string quarterback, a wake-up from a struggling rushing attack and a trip to the West Coast where they rarely win in the Mike Tomlin Era. Could they overcome all these obstacles? Well, a 24-17 win says they did.
For some reason, I’ve been given the responsibility to rate the performance of the squad. It’s not easy, but I’ll give it a whirl. Despite my less than prestigious BTSC teaching certificate, I have to issue the necessary disclaimer. You know the story; of course, I’m not a football coach, or a teacher, but I play one in blogs and podcasts. All week, I had certain expectations of this contest, then the game happened and judgments abound.
Grading games is an extremely difficult and somewhat thankless task. While the coaches’ grades, of course, are what counts the most, the media and fans can’t help but evaluate as well. All letter grades are simply based on the eye test of somebody watching at home. In this case, it’s my doofus opinion.
So let’s take a look at BTSC’s early perceptions:
Offense: B+
The game plan was designed to protect Duck Hodges and was predicated on rushing the football and the excellent offensive line and James Conner answered the call in a big way. Conner took over with 89 total yards and two TDs in the first half and ended with 119 total. Bennie Snell Jr. thrived with 75 yards and a 4.4 average. Hodges did not have to feel pressure due to the defense scoring early and giving him opportunities. He ended 15/20 with 132 yards, a TD and a pick. The receivers didn’t do much, but did when they got the few opportunities that they did. Excellent game from these guys.
Poll
What grade do you think the offense deserves after the 25-17 victory on the West Coast?
This poll is closed
-
15%
A
(275 votes) -
69%
B
(1260 votes) -
14%
C
(263 votes) -
0%
D
(4 votes) -
0%
F
(6 votes)
Defense: A-
This is a powerful defense now and they desperately needed to be due to the situation at hand. The rush defense, led by Vince Williams, was hardly penetrable early on and it continued by allowing only 32 yards rushing. The linebackers were swarming and the Bush TD and INT were due to aggressive defense. Hunter Henry gave them fits, but the secondary still held down the fort. With Hodges starting, the defense needed to score points and stop Keenan Allen. They did.
Poll
What grade do you think the defense earned after the Steelers 24-17 victory in Los Angeles.
This poll is closed
-
67%
A
(1243 votes) -
29%
B
(541 votes) -
2%
C
(46 votes) -
0%
D
(3 votes) -
0%
F
(5 votes)
Special Teams: A
Berry didn’t have to punt much, but did it well when he did with an average of 47.0 on four kicks and two inside-the-20. Boswell has remained solid with a field goal and three point afters. Coverage team had a big play negated by a penalty, but came up big with the insides recovery and when Johnny Holton downed the ball on the one. The return game is again invisible.
Poll
What grade would you assign the ST Unit after the Steelers 24-17 victory.
This poll is closed
-
61%
A
(1037 votes) -
32%
B
(546 votes) -
5%
C
(101 votes) -
0%
D
(5 votes) -
0%
F
(8 votes)
Overall: A-
It got scary late, but they held on. The Steelers scripted the game well and got help from the defense early. It would have been nice to dominate, but the defense played back late and points were bound to happen. Injuries like the Stephon Tuitt pectoral concern is a huge concern, but nonetheless, it was a huge win. Bring on the bye, then the Dolphins.
Poll
What overall grade would you give to the Steelers after the Chargers game?
This poll is closed
-
49%
A
(813 votes) -
47%
B
(785 votes) -
2%
C
(49 votes) -
0%
D
(4 votes) -
0%
F
(5 votes)
Valedictorian: James Conner and Devin Bush
Honor Roll: Devlin Hodges, Alejandro Villanueva, David DeCastro, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey, Bennie Snell Jr., Diontae Johnson, Stephon Tuitt, Joe Haden, T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Vince Williams, Matt Feiler, Cam Sutton
Requires Improvement: Artie Burns
Now it is your turn to play teacher. Use the polls and the comments section below. We can compare notes in the teachers lounge.