The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field Sunday night when they traveled to the west coast in Week 6 of the regular season on Sunday Night Football. The Steelers were winners in the contest, but that doesn’t mean every player had an outstanding performance.

Improvement was evident in the win, and is hopefully going to continue, but the judgement process must go on. Players who play well can be considered ‘Winners’, while those who left a lot to be desired can be called ‘Losers’. It may sound harsh, but it is the crux of this exercise.

Let’s check in to see who fell on which side of the ledger after Week 6...

Winners

James Conner
Stat Line: 16 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD / 7 targets, 7 receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD

On a night when the Steelers had their third string quarterback under center, the team needed a dominant defense and a strong game from their starting running back. Conner did that, totaling 119 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. You would love to see some more production on the ground, but in today’s NFL production is production — no matter what form it comes in.

Devlin Hodges
Stat Line: 15/20, 132 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

If you take away Hodges’ interception I would say this was about as perfect a scenario as Hodges could see. On the road in a stadium which felt more like a home game than a trip to the west coast, a solid running game and make the easy throws when they present themselves. Hodges might not have been responsible for the win, but he certainly didn’t lose it...and that was key.

Devin Bush
Stat Line: 7 total tackles, 3 solo, 1 fumble recovery, 1 TD, 1 INT

Anyone still upset the Steelers traded up to get Devin Bush in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft? Of the Steelers’ 15 takeaways, Bush has been a part of 6 of them in some way. Outside of some poor angles on missed tackles in the second half, Bush had the look of a Defensive Rookie of the Year. Every week he gets more and more comfortable and you are starting to see the speed and athleticism Bush displayed in Michigan.

Defensive Takeaways
Stat Line: 2 INTs, 1 Fumble Recovery

As stated in the previous paragraph, the Steelers added three more takeaways to their register. They now have 15 takeaways, and are tied for second in the league with that total. Heading into Week 7 the Steelers now have as many takeaways as they had in the entire 2018 season. Think about that...a huge statistical improvement for this defense.

Benny Snell Jr.
Stat Line: 17 carries, 75 yards / 1 reception, 14 yards

I am someone was has been extremely tough on Benny Snell throughout his rookie season. He has been great on special teams, but when he has carried the ball he has left a lot to be desired. However, I have to give credit where credit is due, and Snell played well in this game. When Conner left the game with a quad injury Snell kept the chains moving and got those tough yards. It was good to see Snell show up and start to get into a rhythm with the offensive line.

Jordan Berry
Stat Line: 4 punts, 46.3 average, 2 inside the 20

Speaking of constantly hating on players, I have not been a fan of Jordan Berry in the past. But when the Steelers decided to punt on 4th and 1 the key was to pin the Chargers offense inside the 10 yard line, who were without timeouts remaining, Berry and Johnny Holton put them on their own 1 yard line. A great punt, and was clutch in the defense putting the final nail in the coffin.

Cameron Sutton
Stat Line: 1 tackle, 1 INT, 3 pass defenses

Sutton’s best play won’t pop off the stat sheet, and that was his jumping onside kick reception after the Chargers moved within a one score game late in the second half. Sutton did have himself a game while spelling Joe Haden. He tallied an interception and three pass defenses. Don’t look now, but the Steelers might have some depth in the secondary.

Losers

Tackling
Stat Line: Second half tackling was horrid

There wasn’t much to nit pick on, but the second half tackling was atrocious at times. Devin Bush was victimized a couple times, as was Kameron Kelly. Maybe it was fatigue. Maybe it was a lack of focus with a big lead. But whatever the cause for the tackling, hopefully it improves over the bye week.

Who were your winners and losers? Let us know in the comment section below! And be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes on the Steelers as they head into their Week 7 bye week.