Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card after win vs. Bills
By Matt Shetler
Defensive Line: Cam Heyward looked good again and had one of the Steelers’ three sacks to go along with six tackles. In addition they slowed down the NFL’s seventh best rushing attack. The Bills did run for 99 yards, but C.J. Spiller was limited to just 23 yards on eight carries. Grade: B
Nov 10, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller (28) runs with the ball as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay (22) defends during the first quarter of a game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Linebackers: Lawrence Timmons looked very good and rookie Jarvis Jones finally got to the quarterback. But the important thing here is that they kept Buffalo out of the end zone until a meaningless touchdown late in the game. In addition the Bills had only 227 yards of total offense. A much better performance all the way around. Grade: A-
Secondary: Manuel completed 22-of-39 passes for 155 yards and did not have a completion longer than 23 yards. Taking away the big play was huge for this defense. I was particularly impressed by William Gay, who made plays in both the passing and running game, finishing with a team-high 11 tackles. Ryan Clark also got an interception, which is always earth shattering news with this defense. Grade: A
Special Teams: Punter Mat McBriar struggled at times kicking into the wind, but the special teams made some big plays, most notably Brown’s two long punt returns. Kicker Shaun Suisham also knocked down three field goals. Grade: B+
Coaching: The Steelers coaching staff probably needed this more than anyone on the team. All three units bounced back nicely and got the Steelers a win. That’s really all that matters. Grade: A