Steelers Nation can breathe a collective sigh of relief — Pittsburgh advances to 2-1 on the season after an ugly win over the New England Patriots in Week 3.
While the win was far from spectacular, several standout performers deserve recognition, as well as a few duds. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Steelers’ Week 3 win over the Patriots.
Winners
CB Brandin Echols
Joey Porter Jr.’s absence for a second straight game was a tough pill to swallow — but Echols was the embodiment of next man up. He changed the course of the game on more than one occasion, with his second-quarter interception and victory-sealing fourth-down stop serving as the best examples of his excellent play.
S Jabrill Peppers
It’s safe to say Peppers got his revenge and more versus his former Patriots. The new Steelers safety was disruptive against the run, which included his best play of the day: a massive hit on Patriots RB Antonio Gibson, resulting in a forced fumble that was recovered by Peppers himself.
DT Cameron Heyward
There was arguably no Steelers defender more impactful than Heyward in Week 3. The veteran defensive tackle helped set the tone early versus New England, batting down passes on key plays and putting pressure on Patriots QB Drake Maye — finishing the day with six combined tackles and one sack.
Losers
Offensive line run blocking
Besides a strong performance from veteran G Isaac Seumalo, Pittsburgh’s o-line was once again the weakest link on the team. Failing to open up run lanes for RB Jaylen Warren made the Steelers one-dimensional — nearly giving way to a Patriots victory.
QB Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers has failed to replicate his Week 1 success over the past two contests — and his shortcomings vs. the Patriots almost cost Pittsburgh the game. Besides his impressive touchdown passes to DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin, his inaccuracy and poor decision-making were on display throughout Week 3, which was especially evident on an ugly interception thrown right into the arms of Patriots LB Robert Spillane.
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers’ winners, losers from Week 3 win over Patriots
