10 Winners and 2 Losers after the Steelers’ 20-18 win over the Buccaneers in Week 6

The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field Sunday when they played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6 of regular season action. The Steelers were winners in the contest, but that doesn’t mean every player had a good or bad performance.

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 the latest game...

Winners

Larry Ogunjobi
Stat Line: 5 tackles, 3 solo, 1 TFL, 2 QB Hits

It wasn’t a certainty Ogunjobi would play vs. the Buccaneers after missing some practice time, but the team sure did appreciate his efforts. Ogunjobi was taking advantage of his one-on-one matchups when the Buccaneers were forced to slide their protections towards Cam Heyward. Ogunjobi was a nuisance to Brady and the Tampa Bay offense the entire game, and a reason why he is on the winners list.

Steven Sims
Stat Line: 3 returns, 112 yards, 89 yard long

Steven Sims’ didn’t have much in terms of contributions to the offense, but he absolutely had contributions in the return game. He made a play on punt return, but it was his 89-yard kickoff return which electrified the team starting the second half. If only the offense would have punched the ball into the end-zone for the touchdown, but that’s a conversation for another time. Until then, I don’t see Sims relinquishing his role as return many anytime soon.

Patchwork Secondary
Stat Line: Kept TB offense to 18 points

If I would have told you a secondary which consisted of James Pierre, Tre Norwood, Quincy Wilson, Josh Jackson and Terrell Edmunds as the lone veteran would hold Tom Brady’s offense to 18 points, would you have believed me? I might not have believed myself, but it happened. A great job of the coaching staff getting them ready, but kudos to the players going out and making plays.

Chase Claypool
Stat Line: 7 rec., 96 yards, 13.7 average, 1 TD, 26-yard long, 7 targets

Claypool hadn’t had the best season, and even the past two seasons if you go back to his 2021 season. But if there was a game for him to turn it around, it was a good game to do so. Claypool showed up, and showed out, when it mattered most. His two 3rd down conversions on the game’s final drive were huge and showed just how much potential he has as a young receiver. Also, kudos to Claypool for being the first Steelers wide receiver for catching a touchdown pass.

Mitch Trubisky
Stat Line: 9/12, 144 yards, 12.0 average, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 sack for 6 yards, 142.4 rating, 1 FR

It isn’t easy coming off the bench and coming into a game to make plays. But this is exactly why you have someone like Trubisky, as an insurance policy. You might bemoan having to pay for that insurance policy, until you have to use it. Trubisky came in and provided plays necessary to win. It was the first time Trubisky looked to “grip and rip” the football down the field, and it paid dividends. On top of his huge passes in the 4th quarter, one of the more underrated plays he made was his fumble recovery after the bad snap by Mason Cole. If he doesn’t corral that football, the team likely loses the game.

Inside Linebackers
Stat Line: Bush - 5 tackles, 4 solo, 1 pass defense (2PC) / Jack - 8 tackles, 6 solo, 1 pass defense

Both of the Steelers inside linebackers did more than just their jobs. Myles Jack was all over the field, and Devin Bush had the crucial pass break up on the two point conversion attempt. Bush making plays, and Jack being his usual self, make the Steelers more dynamic as a defense. When these two play well, the defense just has a better look and feel to it.

Terrell Edmunds
Stat Line: 10 tackles, 6 solo, 1 TFL

Fans love to bash certain players, and Terrell Edmunds is one of those players, but you can’t underestimate how he played vs. the Bucs Sunday. Edmunds didn’t just lead the team in tackles, but he was a leader in the back end. Think about what this game would have looked like if Tre Norwood and Elijah Riley were the safety tandem in the back end. It wouldn’t have been pretty, but Edmunds’ return to the lineup was huge, and he made plays.

3rd Down / Red-Zone Defense
Stat Line: 4-for-14 3rd downs / 1-for-4 RZ

Mike Tomlin often talks about winning those “weighty” downs, and the Steelers’ defense responded to that call in a big way. Holding a Brady-led offense to 4/14 on 3rd downs and 1-for-4 in the red-zone? Bend, but don’t break...good enough to win.

No Turnovers
Stat Line: Clean effort on all fronts

If the Steelers stood a chance against the Buccaneers, they couldn’t turn the ball over. This isn’t just on the offense, but also special teams. It wasn’t a “try to keep it clean” scenario, but a “you can’t turn it over” proposition. The team responded with no turnovers.

Entire Team Victory
Stat Line: No other way of saying it

All three phases of the team contributed in this win. Huge returns from Steven Sims, timely kicks by Chris Boswell and Pressley Harvin III, big plays when necessary from the offense and timely plays made by the defense. Throw in a masterful defensive plan, and it was a team victory from top-to-bottom. Great to see, for just the second time, this season.

Losers

Kevin Dotson
Stat Line: 3 penalties, not on field for field goal attempt

Dotson had a game to forget Sunday, and one I’m sure the coaching staff will be taking a close look at moving forward. Three penalties called on the third year guard, and not being on the field for a field goal attempt is no way to go through an NFL career (hopefully you pick up on the Animal House reference). It Dotson wants to keep his job, he’ll need to first hope he gets another shot, and then take advantage in Week 7 in prime time.

In-Game Management
Stat Line: Clock Management before half

There are times when the Steelers shoot themselves in the foot. I like to call them brain far situations. Situations like not getting play calls in to the quarterback in time and leading to frantic behavior pre-snap. Or Tomlin’s poor time management before the two-minute warning at the end of the first half which equated in a Buccaneers field goal. There are so many aspects of this team which still need cleaned up, and it starts at the top and bleeds down to the players. Eliminating these plays will go a long way to the team being more competitive, and also winning more games.

If you want a more detailed look at the above list, check out my “Let’s Ride” podcast where I outline each Winner and Loser, and MORE!