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Defensive Line
Heyward. Our best defensive player is now out for the year with the next man up being a fringe player at best. Heyward is a force vs the run or pass and is one of our best leaders. In additon to 3 sacks, he has 4 passes batted down. There is a domino effect when he's out on the DL which allows the other team to block us with just five and use extra skill players for pass patterns. Grade for the season B+. Huge loss!
Tuitt. Color me disappointed, Tuitt's play has regressed. He's not a bad player, more like he's average and just another piece of the puzzle. Tuitt has not made many tackles and has added less than he's capable of as a pass rusher. Grade C+
Hargrave. The rookie is under powered and not ready to play. He's often pushed backward and has not been quick enough to be a factor in the 4 man rush. Because he came from a small school, there is hope he can be better next season, but the lack of physical tools in NFL games is a bit alarming. Grade D+
McCullers. Every now and then there is a Big Dan sighting and we think, wow that was a nice play. But they are far and few between. McCullers has very little speed, and outside of being a short-yardage defender does not have much value. Grade C-
Mathews. Oh boy. Mathews is lucky to be on an NFL roster. He's a total nonfactor vs the run or pass and can't even seem to be in positon to " clean up the trash " when other players have done most of the work. Blockers stick to him like velcro. Grade D-
Walton. Has not dressed or made one tackle, but might play a bit now that Heyward is out for the year. If you can't dress for games and you're not a rookie or QB, Grade D-
Linebackers:
Timmons, older and slower he still tackles well enough but seems to have lost his big play ability. Don't ask what his cap number is this year. At this point, the Steelers might want to find a better nickel or dime backer. Grade B-
Vince Williams. The closest thing the Steelers have to an enforcer vs the run, Williams hits hard and has bene surprisingly effective on the blitz. Second on the team in solo tackles despite only starting 4 games. Grade B-
Jarvis Jones. Zero sacks for the season and now benched. He has had his share of moments vs the run, but as a pass rusher, he's been a zero.
Grade C-
Ryan Shazier. Capable of being a factor in coverage or vs the run, Shazier has rare playing speed. If he was only more durable. Like many players on the defense, he's not as good as he was last year. Grade B
Harrison. The old Warrior still has something left. While his speed and quickness are greatly diminished, he's still as strong as a bull with plenty of heart. Now starting he should help out a bit on the pass rush and perhaps force another fumble or two. Grade B-
Chickillo. Could be the best pass rusher on the team right now. Relative to his snap count, you have to like the 2.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Don't be surprised if he leads the team in either category. Chickillo could be a player on the rise, and he's also one of our faster linebackers. Run defense to disengage blockers needs some work. Grade B-
Moats. A serviceable backup. No more, no less. Grade C
Matakevich. An over achiever type, who seems to have a nose for the ball. I still think he's not sudden enough in his movement to be anything but a backup. Grade C
Fort. Plays on special teams only and has not been a big factor. I think he has some value as a nickel or dime backer, but Tomlin hardly plays him. Grade for what he has done D+
Defensive Backs,
Cockrell. Cockrell, picked up as a cut player has been decent. He has defended 8 passes, and outside of a game or two been good enough to win with as a starter. Grade B-
Burns. The rookie flahsed a lot of talent to make plays on the ball. I'm still not sold about his long range speed, and he has given up his share of plays at corner. His tackling needs work, but you see him falsh anough ability to suggest he can be developed into a comepent starter in the NFL. Grade B-
Gay. Gay has not had his name called often and that can be a good thing for a defensive back. He's also our lone corner who can play the slot well enough without getting tourched. 4 passes defended for the year. Not bad. Grade B-
Mitchell. The penalties and bad angles to the ball are getting tiresome. With just two passes broken up, and no interceptions, Mitchell is another underachiever for the year. Grade C-
Golden. Golden has a decent start but has been too quiet vs the run and the pass for most of the season. More of a 3rd safety type starting because there is no one else. Grade C-
Dangerfield. While I like his energy and tackling ability, he's not around the ball often enough. Why is a good question? Does he just not get the defense? Possibly. But if he ever does I think he has some value in the dime. Grade C-
Davis. With just one pass defended on a ball that should have been intercepted, too many missed tackles, and the type of mistakes made that blow games, Davis has been a disaster at times. He has added nothing to special teams, and possibly cost us a blocked punt TD
Grade D+
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