Russ Cooks, Jones’ struggles continue

Maybe Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin knows what he’s doing after all? After a weeks-long quarterback controversy that drew many doubters from all quarters, his team pulled off a huge 37-15 victory against a desperate New York Jets team.

In typical Steelers fashion, things started slow, but you have to applaud the team for how they finished this game, punishing the Jets in the trenches and wearing them down in the end. There were lightning improvements in the passing game, the defense managed a few more turnovers and Danny Smith’s team blocked another field goal in this game.

Let’s recap some notable performances from an exciting evening at Acrisure Stadium.

Standout: WR George Pickens

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season so far in Year 3, but George Pickens was simply excellent tonight. He finished the game with five catches for 111 yards while also recording his first touchdown of the season. He made several notable contested catches on underthrown footballs that led to big plays and drew a pass interference penalty just before halftime. He was more locked in than I’ve seen him in a long time and even showed some strength when it came to blocking. He’s certainly moody, but when he’s focused, he’s a must-see on TV.

Disappointment: RT Broderick Jones

From a live broadcast perspective, this performance didn’t feel quite as bad as the rest of the season, but it was definitely far from perfect. Jones gave up his sixth sack of the season in just seven games, allowing Jets edge rusher Will McDonald to beat him outside and clear a path to the quarterback. There were at least two other quick losses that resulted in Russell Wilson having to bail out early. Pittsburgh ran the ball well, so we’ll see what the video says about its efforts in that regard. But things are looking pretty bleak for the Georgia product right now.

Standouts: QB Russell Wilson and the play-action passing game

Earlier this week, I wrote that Russ’ return should have a positive impact on the Steelers’ previously lackluster play and passing attack, and that was on full display tonight. Wilson went 10/13 for 111 yards and an off-play touchdown faking by pushing the ball vertically and finding the open receivers. Speaking of open receivers, there were a lot of them tonight. The supporting cast arguably had their best game of the season, but you have to give offensive coordinator Arthur Smith credit for some of the concepts that were completely evident to the prospects. Assuming they can stick with positive/neutral schedules going forward, the Steelers should focus even more on this.

Standout: CB Beanie Bishop

Who would have thought that an undrafted cornerback named Beanie Bishop would face Aaron Rodgers twice in prime time? The first interception was a thing of beauty as he moved his body to the middle of the field to grab a one-handed interception that helped the Steelers score just before halftime. Then he was in the right place at the right time and scored another goal in the second half after a botched pass. There were also a few technically sound tackles made in space against the Jets’ playmakers. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Disappointment: Tackling in the first half

Pittsburgh’s mantra of bending but not breaking has served them well so far this season. In 2024, they played more zone coverage and rarely blitzed extra rushers, and one of the reasons that was quite successful is because they tackled well after the catch. Things got better as the game went on, but the first half was an ugly performance to say the least. Breece Hall almost brought a check into the house after Elandon Roberts and Donte Jackson both missed tackles. After tightening things up in the second half, it became much more difficult for Rodgers and Co. to move the ball down the field.

Standout: RB Jaylen Warren

We haven’t seen the best of Jaylen Warren this season because he’s been banged up, but he made some huge plays tonight that deserve recognition. Early in the third quarter, he blocked an unblocked blitzer to give Wilson just enough time to fire a shot down the field and convert on third down. Later in the game, Warren caught a checkdown on third-and-8, used a nifty spin move to evade a couple tacklers and move the chains. The roaring numbers were anything but gaudy. However, it looked a little more bouncy than in recent weeks, which is an encouraging sign of where things could be heading.

Standouts: CB Joey Porter Jr.

All of the media talk this week centered around the Jets reuniting Davante Adams with his former signal-caller. Whether it was Adams or Garrett Wilson, Porter kept both of them in check on the perimeter tonight. Something I’ve noticed in the first few games of his career is that Porter’s game usually performs just as well when the competition increases. Towards the end of the game he made a good tackle in run defense, although he needs to be more consistent in that area. Overall, until the film review, it felt like a really solid effort from him.