Next Man Up

The next man up. The standard is the standard. Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin has used
these terms for years, but Sunday’s game was the true embodiment of the concept.
The Steelers went into the game without half of their defensive starters, including their top three
cornerbacks (Ahkello Witherspoon, Cam Sutton, Levi Wallace), All-Pro safety Minkah
Fitzpatrick, and defensive end DeMarvin Leal, in addition to DPoY TJ Watt who has been on
injured reserve. Tight end Pat Freiermuth was out on the offensive side of the ball.
It would take a team effort with all hands on deck as they faced one of the most highly decorated
athletes of all time, seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and company. Pittsburgh was
a double-digit underdog for the second week in a row.
When discussing his team’s preparation for Sunday’s matchup, Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike
Tomlin stated, "They just had a lot of work in front of them. They knew who was waiting on us
in the stadium, and they knew the state we were in. So, not a lot of discussions needed to be had.
Talk is cheap. We needed a good work week."
The Steelers were coming off a blowout loss to Buffalo and had lost four straight games before
facing a heavily favored Tampa Bay team. Cam Heyward noted during the week, “We put
ourselves in a ditch. We have to stop digging.” After the game, Miles Jack added, “The whole
world counted us out.”
On a day when Pittsburgh native, 1996 Olympic gold medalist, and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt
Angle led the Terrible Towel Twirl, the Steelers looked to lock up with a test of strength against
the Buccaneers in a slobber knocker at Acrisure Stadium.
The Steelers were against the ropes facing a Buccaneers defense ranked sixth overall and sixth
against the pass in the entire NFL. The game was billed as KP8 versus TB12. The 45-year-old
versus the 24-year-old rookie. It ended up being a redemption song for Mitch Trubisky.
It was a tale of two halves, as the first half was the Kenny Pickett show and the second half was
Mitch Trubisky’s. One thing remained a constant throughout the game, the Black and Gold
delivered in all phases of the game. Coach Tomlin said it was a “really competitive team
victory.”
Pittsburgh came right out and set the tone for the game, as the defense delivered a three and out
and the offense scored a touchdown on their opening possession. It was the first time the Steeler
offense accomplished the feat in 14 games. It also marked Kenny Pickett’s first career

touchdown pass. The rookie quarterback was a perfect 5-5 for 37 yards on the drive , including a
pass to Najee Harris, who walked into the end zone after catching Pickett’s pass in the flat. KP8
also had a 10-yard scramble during the 11 play, 66 yard drive that put the Steelers up 7-0.
The Pittsburgh defense bent but didn’t break as they held Tampa Bay to a field goal after a 70-
yard drive. The next Steelers drive ended with sack on third down, which set the Buccaneers up
with excellent field position near midfield. After Brady led the Bucs to a second and goal from
18 inches away, the defense forced a field goal after an impressive goal line stand. Larry
Ogunjobi blew up a play and Cam Heyward sacked Tom Brady on third and goal to force a field
goal. At the postgame presser, Head Coach Mike Tomlin stated, “I’m appreciative of the effort
of our team, their ability to smile in the face of adversity and make the necessary plays at the
critical moments.”
Each team added field goals before the half, as Chris Boswell’s 55-yard field goal doinked off
the crossbar to give the Steelers a 10-6 lead, and Tampa Bay was able to cut into the Pittsburgh
lead via a 54-yard Ryan Succop field goal as time expired to put the score at 10-9.
Special teams were a deciding factor as Pressley Harvin was able to flip the field with opportune
punts. Energy and momentum were created as Steven Sims returned the opening kickoff of the
second half 89 yards, though the Steelers started at the 12, came away with a field goal for a 25
yarder to take a 13-9 lead.
Brady led the Bucs down the field converting third and fourth downs, but could only come away
with three points after their longest scoring drive of the season. Coach Mike Tomlin addressed
the Steelers’ ability to dig in their heels and rise to the occasion, "I just thought we kept them off
balance with some disguises and things of that nature.” Tom Brady finished 25 of 40 for 243
yards and a touchdown and is now 3-5 playing at the Steelers’ venue.
The Pittsburgh defense controlled the narrative as they held their ground and Tampa’s Leonard
Fournette to 61 yards on 21 carries. The stingy defense forced four three-and-outs, five punts,
and only allowed one touchdown and four field goals. Pittsburgh held Brady to just 4 of 14 on
third downs.  Defensive Captain Cam Heyward acknowledged that despite the outcome, the
work still isn’t done, adding, “I thought we applied pressure, stopped the run to a degree, but
man we aren't back yet. We got some work to do."
In the third quarter Kenny Pickett left the game for a concussion evaluation after a blow to the
head. Mitch Trubisky came came off the bench in relief of the rookie quarterback. Pickett
completed 11 of 15 passes, collecting 67 yards and his first touchdown pass as a Steeler.
The turning point, which took the air out of the visitors, saw a confident and decisive Mitch
Trubisky, on his first full drive, convert third downs and toss a 45 yard catch and run to Connor
Heyward. The drive culminated with first Steelers wide receiver to catch a touchdown this
season, as Chase Claypool caught a Trubisky pass from six yards out to give the home team a
20-12 lead. Trubisky later remarked, "I studied this week as if I was a starter, and you just
prepare that way. I was helping Kenny on the sidelines in the first half, just constant

communications, trying to help these guys. And then when your number gets called you just go
out and do a different job.”
Arguably the biggest play of the day came after a stout Steelers Defense allowed a Leonard
Fournette touchdown, which brought the Buccaneers within two points. Linebacker Devin Bush
broke up a pass on the two-point conversion to keep a two point lead. Pittsburgh’s Coach Tomlin
expressed, “I just appreciate the mettle that the group showed this week in terms of remaining
singularly focused in the midst of the storm and putting together a winning performance.”
The Trubisky-led Steelers were able to bleed the clock and delivered when the game was on the
line. Pittsburgh converted four third downs of eleven yards or more with Trubisky under center.
He utilized pin point accuracy and drove the ball over the middle on multiple occasions.
Trubisky finished 9 for 12 with 144 yards and a touchdown. The quarterback declared,
"Honestly, it feels good to win just as a team and to show my teammates what I'm capable of. I
think the best part is just seeing their joy and excitement after a hard-fought victory like that.
We've had some ups and downs the last couple weeks, but to have that feeling, that's what you
chase every single week.”
A depleted Steelers defense entered the game a question mark, but delivered a statement by
making the Buccaneers earn every blade of grass. Pittsburgh held Tampa Bay to just 75 yards on
the ground on 26 rushing attempts. Terrell Edmunds led the team in tackles and had a drive
killing tackle for a loss on Leonard Fournette. After the game Tomlin spotlighted Edmunds, "He
had to be a hub of communication," as the safety was the only regular in the defensive backfield.
The coach for the Black and Gold also offered praise to linebacker Robert Spillane who served
as a defensive jack of all trades, saying, “Spillane was critical, appreciative of his intellect and
his efforts.”
The Steelers racked up 272 yards of total offense in the win which snapped a four-game losing
streak. Chase Claypool finished with 96 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions on seven
targets. The Notre Dame product averaged 14 yards per catch and also ran once for eight yards.
Running back Najee Harris toted the ball 14 times for 42 yards. Pittsburgh was 7 for 15 on third
downs, and many were third and long, driving deliveries. Mitch Trubisky added, "I just wanted
to continue to be aggressive, play free and everyone kind of just rallied together. It was fun,
backyard football, if you will, but it was fun. We made plays when we had to."
The Steelers finally found a way to win without TJ Watt and are now 1-8 without the reigning
Defensive Player of the Year. Pittsburgh improved to 2-4 with the victory and are in the mix in
the AFC North, as Baltimore and Cincinnati are both 3-3 and Cleveland sits at 2-4.
The Steelers will travel to Florida to take on the Dolphins Sunday night. It is still unknown if
either injured quarterback, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett or Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa will play. If
Pickett is unable to go, Mitch Trubisky’s performance against the Bucs proves that the Steelers
are in capable and confident hands.