It’s a good time to be a Steelers fan.
Pittsburgh is 3-0 with the league’s top defense and a rising offense. The black and gold also have a multi-game lead on the rest of the division: The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns are both 1-2. Once considered Super Bowl contenders, the Cincinnati Bengals are 0-3 and in grave danger of dropping to 0-4 at the hands of Carolina Panthers Andy Dalton.
Good times.
Here at Read & React, we’ve spilled plenty of ink talking about the AFC North. So, in this week’s addition, we’ll be focusing exclusively on the Steelers — the biggest surprises so far this season as well as a “Legit or Quit” section exploring all the latest storylines such as Nick Herbig’s emergence, Mason McCormick’s future, and more. And as always, stick around to the end for our weekly opponent preview.
Legit or Quit
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Calvin Austin III and Scotty Miller are here to stay as offensive contributors
RP: Quit. That isn’t to say they can’t be worthwhile members of the team, but we need to have realistic expectations here. Austin’s speed was never in question — and he put it on full display against the Chargers on his 55-yard touchdown catch — but his size makes it difficult for him to be a true WR2. Not only does it limit his effectiveness running routes downfield, but it makes him a below-average blocker. Austin is the type of player who can be a plus-returner on special teams and as a gadget type of player on offense. The best way to use him is on jet touch/end arounds and in stack formations where you can get him a free release and then have him run behind a defense. His career-high 95 yards on Sunday account for 33 percent of his career’s production thus far. So let’s pump the brakes and see how they use him moving forward.
As for Scotty Miller, he’s got about 10 pounds on Austin and is in year six of his NFL career. A lot of the same limitations Austin has are present in Miller’s game. Both of them are solid enough to make the back end of a receiver room and might make a clutch play or two throughout the season, but they should not be expected to become high-volume targets.
RB: Quit. I’ll echo Ryan here — Austin and Miller are solid members of the Steelers offense, and as Justin Fields improves, so could their numbers. But small, speed-dependent receivers like them are generally gadget weapons who will provide big plays from time to time but not consistent production. The Chargers game was a good example, with both Austin and Miller gaining the majority of their yardage on just two plays.
As George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth continue to get more targets, Van Jefferson returns to the starting lineup, and Roman Wilson finally sees the field, Austin and Miller will probably see a drop in snaps. However, they’re still good weapons to have when called upon. Speed kills.
Nick Herbig can hold up as OLB2 if Alex Highsmith misses time
RB: Legit. It’s possible to talk one player up without bringing another down, so let’s keep the Herbig hype train rolling without suddenly deciding that Alex Highsmith is overrated. Pittsburgh will miss Highsmith while he’s out with injury — he’s a good player and it’s a hit to the team’s rotation.
However, Herbig has proven to be a starting-caliber talent himself, with two sacks against the Chargers (one versus Rashawn Slater!). Herbig is smaller than your average Steelers outside linebacker and his game is built on quickness, so I do have my worries with how he’ll fare holding the edge against the run and playing more snaps than he ever has in a game. But that’s when DeMarvin Leal comes in as a defensive lineman/OLB3 hybrid who can spell Herbig and help on run downs.
Beyond that, the Steelers’ pass rush still has T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, and Larry Ogunjobi. Herbig won’t be forced to carry this unit all by himself. He’ll be just fine as the Steelers’ OLB2 in the coming weeks.
RP: Legit. I want to go back and see how many reps Herbig got on run defense and how he did, but I’ve been pretty clear about my thoughts of Herbig as a pass rusher. I told you this summer that he’d threaten double-digit sacks this season in a reserve role. With Highsmith missing much of Sunday’s game, Herbig went ahead and got himself 20 percent of the way there in just one game. Herbig’s pass-rush efficiency has been nuts since entering the league last year. Per PFF, Herbig had only 81 pass-rushing snaps in 2023, but he came away with a sack (3) or a hurry (7) on 12.3 percent of those snaps. For context, last season TJ Watt did that on 12.2 percent of his snaps and Alex Highsmith on 11.3 percent.
I don’t want to set unrealistic expectations. We need to account for it being a small sample size for Herbig. His limited snap count means he’s always coming in with fresh legs. He’s undersized with an officially listed weight of 240 pounds. It wouldn’t be surprising if an increase in playing time led to his pash-rush efficiency regressing. There’s also more to playing OLB in the Steelers' defense than just rushing the passer, and we’ll need to see how Herbig plays in those situations.
Nick Herbig on 8 pass-rushing snaps vs the Chargers:
♦️ 95.4 pass-rushing grade
♦️ 3 pressures
♦️ 2.0 sacks
♦️ 50.0% pass rush win rate pic.twitter.com/2ukMQl5iBx
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) September 24, 2024
All that said, until we see otherwise, the Steelers should feel good about him holding down the fort for Highsmith. And when Highsmith is fully healthy, I would like to see the Steelers experiment with getting all three on the field in passing downs. Do you think a pass rush of Watt, Highsmith, Heyward, Herbig and Benton all coming at once wouldn’t put the fear of God into an opposing quarterback? How could it not?
The Steelers' defense can keep up its historic pace
RP: Quit. Setting realistic expectations is my theme here today it seems. If this question had asked, “Can the Steelers stay a top-five defense for the year,” I would be saying “Legit.” But expecting them to maintain a historic pace with the schedule they have is a bridge too far for me. We’re already seeing injuries impact the secondary, as well as the aforementioned Highsmith injury. Betting on health for an entire season is a losing game in the NFL.
The Steelers have had a ridiculous rate of success on red zone defense so far this season. Through three games, Pittsburgh is allowing a touchdown on just 16.67 percent of opponents' trips to the red zone. That’s impressive and should fill our fanbase with pride. But I’d be lying if there isn’t a little stench of “But who have you played, really” around those numbers. So far the Steelers have played a hobbled Kirk Cousins, rookie Bo Nix in his second career start and a hobbled Justin Herbert who didn’t finish the game.
Two things can be true. The Steelers can be a legit top defense. And we can expect them to come back to earth a little once they face the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott. And yes I left the two-time and reigning MVP off that list. Thank you for noticing. The Steelers might end up shutting down those talented offenses and winning those games. My confidence they can is growing by the week. But let’s not crown them as the best defense ever just three weeks in. Let’s just try to enjoy the ride.
RB: Legit. Ryan and I tend to think alike on these (great minds??) but that can make for a boring column. To be honest, I’m in complete agreement with what Ryan wrote above, but I’ll take the other side here because I think there is a valid argument.
With the understanding that the Steelers won’t be able to hold opponents to 10 points or less every game this season, and the caveat that Pittsburgh’s key defenders will need to stay healthy, this defense can continue to be the NFL’s best and stay on its excellent pace.
Scoring is down across the NFL, and Pittsburgh’s remaining schedule isn’t exactly packed with offensive juggernauts. Additionally, the Steelers tend to match up well against AFC North opponents. Outside of the division, teams like the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Eagles have all had games where they were held to 20-ish points by worse defenses.
The Steelers have yet to play a great offense this year, but look across the league — there aren’t that many to begin with. There could be some mild regression as the season goes on, but health-willing, the Steelers have a good shot at maintaining their status as the NFL’s best defense.
Mason McCormick is a future starter
RB: Quit. McCormick looked like he outplayed Spencer Anderson at left guard on Sunday, so he should probably get the start there until Isaac Seumalo returns. But I’m not sure if I want to crown McCormick as the Steelers’ future at guard yet after just one game with limited snaps (not saying he can’t get there, though!).
That isn’t to say he looked bad against LA. McCormick was physical and aggressive — almost too aggressive — in the run game, and he held his own in pass protection. A really promising start.
Now to pump the brakes. For one, McCormick looked good at left guard, his college position, but if he wants to start next year, it’ll have to be on the other side. The Steelers are expected to let starting right guard James Daniels walk in free agency, and starting left guard Seumalo still has another year under contract. McCormick is probably capable of the position switch, but we’ve seen it backfire horribly before.
Beyond that, while all signs point to this being Daniels’ last season with the Steelers, we’ve seen just how hard it is to find the right offensive line group and keep them all healthy. The Steelers can afford Daniels next year, and he’s been one of the team’s most consistent players. Why get rid of him? I think there’s a decent chance Omar Khan has second thoughts and the Steelers keep Daniels and Seumalo as the guard combination going into 2025. If that’s the case, McCormick will still be excellent depth to have.
RP: Legit. McCormick was one of my favorites in the draft cycle, but I didn’t think the Steelers would take three offensive linemen in the first four rounds and I knew he’d likely be drafted in that range. Maybe I’m overconfident in my evaluation of him, but once the team declined to do an extension with James Daniels, I penciled him in as the future for the Steelers. When Seumalo went down, I wanted him to start over Spencer Anderson. In fact, I still do.
Steelers rookie LG Mason McCormick (#66) has really stood out to me the first two games.
More comfortable in his pass pro technique than I expected. Good snap out of his stance, works his hands well, good base, moves people in run game. Strong summer performance. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/0LfWfetP2a
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) August 20, 2024
The kid is nasty and fits the mold of what the Steelers are looking for to establish a power running game. He’s not a finished product by any means, but he plays with a lot of energy and physicality. One of those guys you know just loves to maul dudes. The idea of him and Zach Frazier working side-by-side in the not-so-distant future should excite fans.
What’s been the biggest surprise so far this season?
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images
RP: How about this Steelers secondary, huh? Coming into the season we knew Minkah Fitzpatrick was one of the best safeties in the game and that Joey Porter Jr. was a star on the rise. I was bullish on the addition of DeShon Elliott — even comparing his signing to the time Pittsburgh signed an unheralded safety named Ryan Clark — and so far he’s lived up to my expectations. The cornerback room has also performed admirably so far. Cory Trice and Beanie Bishop have been bright spots. Trice is headed to injured reserve for at least four games, but if he can get healthy again he has a promising future.
The coverage has been sound from that group, but to me the biggest contribution they have made is in their sound tackling. The secondary’s inability to tackle consistently was painfully noticeable last season.
That hasn’t been the case this year. PFF has logged two missed tackles for Porter, Bishop and Donte Jackson only have one each, and Elliott and Trice have not recorded a missed tackle so far. Jackson is perhaps the most surprising. He didn’t come to Pittsburgh with a reputation of being a particularly good or physical tackler, but through three weeks he has shown he’s not afraid to get his nose dirty.
It’s contributions like that — as well as a healthy Cam Heyward — that have turned around the Steelers from the 21st against the run in 2023 (118.6 yards per game) to tied for second so far this season (71.3).
The Steelers defense is tied for the 2nd fewest rushing yards allowed per game at 71.3. Two big reasons for that:
1. Cam Heyward is back and on his bullsh*t, y'all
2. The new guys: Queen, Elliott, Jackson
Cam absolutely blows this run up. DJ and PQ take care of the rest pic.twitter.com/Bb97FyZLcv
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) September 25, 2024
RB: I know it’s painfully obvious, but it has to be the lack of turnovers, right? Just one through three weeks. Of course, the Steelers were similarly giveaway-averse with Kenny Pickett under center last season, but Justin Fields is historically turnover-prone — and he’s far more dynamic than Pickett.
There’s a lot of work still to do on offense, but Arthur Smith has struck a great balance thus far between limiting Fields’ mistakes and still letting him make plays. Fields deserves a lot of credit in that development as well. So far, the Steelers offense looks to be on the right track, and that’s a welcome surprise.
Week 4 preview
What to expect vs. the Colts’ offense
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
RP: The name of the game against the Colts will be limiting big plays and stopping the run. It sounds obvious, but the Colts fit that tried and true adage almost perfectly.
Arguably, the Colt’s biggest strength is its offensive line. PFF grades aren’t the gospel, but they are a useful tool. You’ll notice in Week 3, both the Steelers and Colts have two players represented in the top-10.
That can spell trouble if they can get the run game going with star running back Jonathan Taylor and their inexperienced but extremely athletic quarterback Anthony Richardson. The Colts offense is primarily out of the shotgun and they’re a zone running team. Last week against the Bears, I counted just six run plays that came from under center and three from the Pistol formation. One such play resulted in a 29-yard touchdown for Taylor.
Along with keeping a lid on Anthony Richardson and the deep passing attack, the Steelers will need to be on their A-game against Jonathan Taylor, who is a big play threat any time he touches the ball pic.twitter.com/CSI8KhbROv
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) September 25, 2024
If the Steelers can stop Taylor and Richardson on the ground, they have a really strong chance of shutting down the Colts. Richardson has struggled with consistency. While he’s only been sacked four times so far, he’s fumbled twice and he’s thrown six interceptions against three touchdowns. Richardson’s completing just 49.3 percent of his throws and his 212 yards against Houston in Week 1 has been his season highmark. That’s paints a rough picture for an offense, but that doesn’t make the Colts an easy out. While Richardson has been anything but efficient, he has created a handful of explosive plays for the passing game. Richardson has attempted 13 throws of 20-plus air yards. He’s only completed four of these passes, but they’ve accounted for 191 yards and one score.
The good news for the Steelers is these plays have also created opportunities for defenses.
There should be opportunities for the PIT's secondary. Chicago's pass rush doesn't really threaten much here, but it forces Richardson to climb the pocket and he seems to speed himself up and misses badly here. Richardson could be a monster one day, but showing inexperience here pic.twitter.com/w4zbsECVRx
— Ryan Parish (@RyanParishmedia) September 25, 2024
While the Colts receiving room has a lot of guys to like, even if none of them would be considered superstars. Michael Pittman is the most well known of the group. He’s a YAC threat that runs a lot of short-to-intermediate routes. Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and rookie Adonai Mitchell are all vertical threats with different body types. Downs is the Colts version of Calvin Austin, Mitchell is built like your prototypical X receiver (6’2 and 205 pounds) and Pierce is 6’3 and 212 but doesn’t play particularly physical and runs a lot of go balls and post routes.
And what about the defense?
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
RB: The Steelers offense looked good against the Chargers, but if you still want a real breakout, this Colts defense is a much more favorable matchup. (Props to Ryan for finding this Tweet):
To make matters worse for the Colts, their defense is banged up following their Week 3 win over the Chicago Bears. Cornerbacks Kenny Moore II and Dallis Flowers, as well as defensive end Kwity Paye, all left in the fourth quarter Sunday with injuries. Paye’s seemed the most serious and he’s at risk of missing the Steeler game.
Defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Samson Ebukam are both on injured reserve, as well. This is a thin D-line in Indianapolis — a great opportunity for the Steelers’ offensive line and run game to get on track.
However, last week’s Bears-Colts matchup was a weird one. Indianapolis had a horrible run defense entering the game (474 rushing yards allowed in the first two weeks of the season — insane!). But the Bears went with a pass-first approach with only 63 yards on the ground, instead betting on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to win the game.
That plan backfired, especially in the first half. The Colts’ defensive line is banged up, but rookie edge Laiatu Latu (the 15th overall pick in 2024) is coming into his own and the rest of the unit was playing with some eye-catching intensity, firing off the ball. Williams was pressured and uncomfortable for much of the game, and the Colts’ D-line resurgence spilled into their run defense as well.
Of course, the Bears have the second-worst rushing offense in the NFL and the D’Andre Swift signing has been a disaster. Sunday’s matchup was a stoppable force meeting a movable object — Pittsburgh’s run game will present a bigger challenge.
But the movable object isn’t exactly talentless. The Colts have one of the NFL’s most underrated linebackers in Zaire Franklin, and Kenny Moore II is one of the better slot corners in the league, and they were playing like it on Sunday. Julian Blackmon is a solid name at safety as well. Don’t completely discount this group.
However, Chicago started to counter the Colts’ aggressive play with play-action passes and saw some success. Tight end Cole Kmet also had a great game, eating the Colts’ zone defense alive with 10 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Williams ended up throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns — his first of the season. However, he also tossed two interceptions to rising Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones, and Chicago didn’t find the end zone until the fourth quarter.
The Bears should’ve scored more, though. Their three turnovers were killers as was a goal-line sequence that ended a 16-play. 58-yard drive on the one-yard line with no points. If the Steelers play mistake-free-ish football in Week 4, they can put up more points against the Colts.
In short, the Colts have one of the NFL’s worst defenses statistically this season, but there are some very solid individual players and last week was a bit of a rebound for the group. The good news is that Pittsburgh’s scheme — run and play-action-heavy with turnover avoidance — is perfectly equipped to take on Indianapolis’ weaknesses. If Justin Fields can continue to play clean football and make occasional big plays, this should be a winnable matchup for the Steelers.
Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. What’s surprised you the most this season? Keys to victory vs. the Colts? Let us know in the comments! Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section or on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia.
