By: Jake Rajala

Warrior (2011)

It could be said that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals have a rivalry similar to the two brothers, Tommy and Brendan, in Warrior. It was certainly a blood-bath between Cincy and the Steelers today, too. The Steelers (somewhat surprisingly) came out with the victory over the reigning AFC Champions (Bengals) in overtime by a score of 23-20. With that enunciated, I’m going to untwine five takeaways from the Steelers-Bengals showdown.

• T.J. Watt

T.J. Watt was one of the heroes in the Steelers victory by way of obtaining a sack and an interception. The biggest storyline for Watt is still his devasting injury that occurred in the contest. The Steelers believe he suffered a torn pectoral — which would likely place him on the sidelines for three-to-four months.

• Joe Burrow

Did Joe Burrow drink the cool-ade this off-season? The Bengals polarizing QB ousted an absolute dreadful four interceptions on Sunday. According to ESPN, he is the second QB in the past 20 years to turn the ball over four times in the first half. His OL didn’t exactly help him – as he was sacked a whopping seven times. I still am confused that Burrow pressured himself into making countless, silly errors. The Bengals were honestly lucky to lose the AFC North showdown by only three points.

• Ja’Marr Chase

Burrow may have been a disaster on the field today, but the other former LSU legend in Ja’Marr Chase had a quality performance (10 catches for 129 yards). The reigning Offensive Rookie of The Year also had a game-tieing TD catch with two seconds remaining.

• Minkah Fitzpatrick

In a week where Jalen Ramsey and Marshon Lattimore looked half-asleep, the Steelers safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick, played like his true self. Fitzpatrick had a pick-six on Burrow early in the showdown & he also had 14 tackles. Furthermore, Fitzpatrick blocked the extra attempt in the final moments. Fitzpatrick absolutely looks like a darkhorse DPOY candidate at this point.

• Najee Harris

It was surprising that the Steelers won with a struggling rushing outcome by Najee Harris in Week 1. The Steelers second-year RB registered 10 rushing attempts for 23 yards. Although, he did haul in a touchdown grab from his motivated QB. Unfortunately, he will also miss game-time from an injury (as he will likely miss 2-3 games with an ankle injury).

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By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been known for possessing a talented secondary in the Mike Tomlin era. They were fortunate to have Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu torment quarterbacks from 2003 to 2014. In 2021, they had Joe Haden and Minkah Fitzpatrick leading an impressive pass defense — as they ranked ninth in passing yards per game allowed last season.

The Steelers defense lost the veteran in Haden this off-season, but they still have Ahkello Witherspoon (3 ints and 9 pass deflections in 2021) and Levi Wallace (4 ints and 18 pass deflections over the past two seasons combined) at CB. Cameron Sutton (who recorded 2 interceptions and 52 combined tackles — which were both career-high statistics) is also expected to be a key contributor. Justin Layne is a potential cut candidate, so he will need to have a strong off-season.

The most important Steelers defensive back is Fitzpatrick — who recently signed a four-year contract extension worth $73 million dollars. Fitzpatrick wasn’t his typical ball-hawk self last season, but he did have a personal best 124 combined tackles. Per Steelers Depot, the Steelers safety reflected on his constant hitting last season, “This is probably like, not mentally, but physically, this is probably the toughest season that I had”. Hopefully, Fitzpatrick can save his body a bit more next, while having more play-making ability in the passing game.

The other Steelers safety Terrell Edmunds, who is a brother to Tremaine Edmunds, will look to build off his fourth season in the league (89 combined tackles, 8 TFLs, and 6 pass deflections). Edmunds returned to the Steelers on a one-year contract worth $2.7 million dollars. Outside of Devin Bush, Edmunds is the Steelers x-factor in my opinion.

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By Calvin K (Twitter: @Calvin_SGF)

Madden 22’s release date is right around the corner, and the standard edition of the game is set to come out this Friday. As usual, there are a host of changes in the new game, but this article is focusing on the player ratings in the game. Every year, there’s lots of debate about who should be rated where when EA Sports releases the rosters in midsummer. The ratings are generally accurate, but every year, there are some that are just clearly incorrect. This article summarizes the five worst ratings in the game.

5. Jonathan Allen (DT, 88 overall)

Allen is a solid player, but it just doesn’t make logical sense that, aside from cornerback Kendall Fuller, the 26-year-old is the highest rated player on Washington’s entire defense. You could argue that this is partially due to disrespect of the team as a whole, but the fact remains that Allen is not the centerpiece of the defensive line, and therefore should not be ranked as such.

Last year, the Washington defense received several upgrades in personnel, and new coaching staff along with loads of young talent allowed this defense to soar into the elite category. Led by Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Allen, and others, Washington finished fifth in sacks and allowed the eighth-fewest points per game in the NFL. Allen, while productive, still finished fourth on the team in tackles, and he was a distant tenth in sacks, with only the third-highest total at his position of defensive tackle. Granted, Allen is probably better as a run stopper than as a sack artist, but even so, playmakers like Sweat and Young were the ones who changed the dynamic of the defense as a whole. This isn’t to say that Allen is a bad player, but it just isn’t logical to argue that he’s the best player on this defensive line.

4. Saquon Barkley (RB, 90 overall)

Barkley has had more than his share of injury struggles over the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean we can forget about his generational talent. Barkley deserves to be around a 93 overall, given that Saints running back Alvin Kamara is a 94, and he could be rated even higher if it wasn’t for his injuries. There is an argument to be made for a higher rating than 93, given that his 2018 numbers equaled or surpassed the career years of many RBs ahead of him.

In 2018 (his last fully healthy year), Barkley piled up 2,028 yards from scrimmage, an incredible number that he accumulated due to his freakish athleticism and big-play ability. For context, Kamara’s best season accumulated just 1,688 yards from scrimmage. Dalvin Cook, who is a 95 overall, had 1,918 in his best year, while 96 overall Nick Chubb had 1,772. In fact, the only players to surpass Saquon’s best season were 96 Derrick Henry (2,141) and 97 Christian McCaffrey (2,392), meaning Barkley’s numbers match up well to just about anyone’s. Using only these numbers for context would imply that Barkley should be rated a 96, but accounting for injuries and other factors means that it’s sensible to move him down a couple of notches. However, a 90 overall rating implies that Barkley is no longer an elite RB, and when he sees the field again, he’ll prove that assumption incorrect.

3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (FS, 89 overall)

Fitzpatrick is considered by many to be a top-three safety in the NFL, but in Madden, he’s tied for eighth, rated 89 overall alongside Adrian Amos and Eddie Jackson. While those two players are good, they just aren’t at the level that Minkah is, and Minkah’s consistent high-level play should give him a rating in the 90s.

Fitzpatrick’s nine interceptions are tied for the second-highest total among safeties over the last two years, with only Tyrann Mathieu (10) and Justin Simmons (9) stacking up against him in that category. Fitzpatrick was also tied for fourth in passes defended in 2020, with 11. There’s no doubt that Fitzpatrick is a lethal force on defense, and his arrival in Pittsburgh single-handedly took their defense to another level. His level of star status deserves a rating in the 90s along with an X-Factor ability, two things he doesn’t have but has certainly earned.

2. Kyler Murray (QB, 82 overall)

Murray was practically playing at MVP level for most of last season, so to have him at just an 82 overall is beyond silly. Murray has a great arm, but his dual-threat ability is what truly makes him a game-changing weapon for Arizona.

Murray threw for 3,971 yards with a 67.2% completion percentage last year, and he would’ve easily topped 4,000 if it wasn’t for the shoulder injury that hobbled him late in the year. Those numbers alone are good, but Murray also piled up 819 yards on 133 rushing attempts last year, scoring 11 touchdowns and picking up 52 first downs with his legs. Murray’s 6.2 yards per carry was behind only Lamar Jackson in 2020, and his completion percentage was higher than Patrick Mahomes. His athletic ability far exceeds his 82 ratings, and it’s ridiculous that he isn’t at least a 90 overall. His rating may not be accurate right now, but once Murray lights the world on fire again this year, Madden raters will have no choice but to give him a major boost.

1. A.J. Brown (WR, 86 overall)

I had trouble deciding whether Murray or Brown’s rating was worse, but I ended up ranking it this way because I believe that Brown truly has a case as the league’s number one wide receiver. Madden ratings wouldn’t have you believe that, though, as they shockingly rank Brown outside of the top 20 receivers in the league. Brown is ranked lower than Robby Anderson and Robert Woods, and his 86 overall rating is the same as Cole Beasley’s. It’s mind-boggling how low Brown is given what he did last year.

Brown tore up both of his knees after Week 1, and the initial doctor diagnosis was that he’d be done for the whole season. However, he ended up missing just two games and went on to have a 1,075 yard and 11 touchdown season. Brown had to get offseason surgery on each knee after the season, but he still played like an elite receiver. His after-the-catch ability is unmatched by any WR in the NFL, and at 6’0″, 227 pounds, he has the ability to dominate defenders on contested receptions.

In my opinion, Brown is deserving of a 93-96 overall rating, which would put him where he belongs: in the elite tier of wide receivers. However, even Brown skeptics wouldn’t argue that he should be an 86, as there’s no fathomable argument for ranking him that low. Brown is a great athlete, and he should be incredible this season, as he’s now back to full health for the first time since Week 1 of last year. When he explodes, his overall rating should skyrocket, proving that Madden ratings developers completely overlooked a wide receiver who is truly a dominant game-changer.

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By: Dave Stewart

The annual NFL awards are always exciting. One of the most interesting each year is the Defensive Player of the Year award. Over the last four seasons, it has also come to be known as the Aaron Donald award. The Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle has won three out of the last four awards.

I do not believe anyone would bat an eye if he were to take home a fourth this season. However, Donald is not the player I want to talk about today. Pittsburgh Steeler safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick, is just 24 years old and already he has received First-team All-Pro accolades twice in the first three years of his career. What would it take for him to add to DPOY to his trophy case?

To answer that question, I felt it prudent to look to history. The award was first given out 50 years ago in 1971. A safety has won only four times in that span. Dick Anderson became the first in 1973, followed by Kenny Easley in 1984, Ed Reed in 2004, and Troy Polamalu in 2010. Polamalu, the most recent safety to take home the trophy did so by accumulating seven interceptions to go along with 11 passes defended, one fumble recovery, one sack, two QB hits, one touchdown, and 69 total tackles, six of them for losses.

He was a disrupter, all over the field, in order to be named the league’s best defensive player. Fortunately, for Fitzpatrick, his style has him all over the field, as well. As a strong safety, Polamalu frequently played close to the line of scrimmage, and was used in a pass rushing capacity.

Steelers’ defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau would draw up blitzes allowing Polamalu to use his speed to get after the quarterback. Often times, he would crowd close to the offensive line, threatening to blitz before ultimately dropping back in coverage. It was a technique that created confusion for quarterbacks and occasionally helped lead to his interceptions of pass deflections.

Fitzpatrick plays free safety and is rarely used to blitz the quarterback. He has only one QB hit in his career and four tackles for loss. Lacking opportunity to make plays in the opponents’ backfield, Fitzpatrick will have to meet a specific criteria to be in the running for DPOY.

He will need to establish a new personal best in interceptions. To date, Fitzpatrick has topped out at five picks in 2019. He has scored one touchdown in each if his first three seasons, a pace he will need to continue or improve upon to take home the honors. Averaging 76 total tackles each year is a solid number for a safety, but increasing that total will definitely attract some attention his way. Remarkably fast, Fitzpatrick still does not quite match up to the astonishing foot speed of Polamalu.

Yet, if the Steelers find a way to utilize his speed to diversify their pass rush, Fitzpatrick’s appeal for individual honors is bound to increase, especially if he can record his first career sack. In short, it will take a Herculean effort from Fitzpatrick to compete for the league’s highest defensive honor. Still, as one of the league’s premier safeties, it is hard to count him out. Whether he holds the trophy at year’s end or not, it is safe to say we can expect another big season from this emerging superstar.

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By: Dave Stewart

Throughout their history, the Pittsburgh Steelers, when they are winning, have always been led by an intimidating defense. While there have been stars at all levels of the defense, with names like Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Greg Lloyd, and Joey Porter, just to name a few, there has almost always been a legendary safety roaming the backfield. Interestingly enough, two such safeties to lift the Lombardi Trophy in black and gold both were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.

Donnie Shell and Troy Polamalu are both beloved in Pittsburgh. Shell was a stalwart of the Steeler defense through the late 70s and deep into the 80s. During the team’s second back-to-back Super Bowl championships, he was a key player and those two seasons began a run of five consecutive Pro Bowl invites for him. He also earned First-Team All-Pro honors during three of those seasons. Shell was also a turnover collector, totaling 51 career interceptions and 19 recovered fumbles. Still, his most impressive statistic might be the 201 games that he played for Pittsburgh in his 14 seasons.

Polamalu was an enigma in the course of his career in the NFL. With his signature mane of hair flying wildly behind him, he seemed to cover more ground than was humanly possible. A problem both rushing the passer, as well as in pass defense, Polamalu undoubtedly provided many sleepless nights for opposing offensive coordinators. He flew to the ball and hung his hat on his closing speed when chasing down the ball carrier.

As a Steeler, Polamalu tallied 32 career interceptions to pair with 14 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, and 12 sacks. He scored five touchdowns and carried home a Defensive Player of the Year award. Eight times a Pro-Bowler and four times an All-Pro, Polamalu set a new benchmark for play as a Steelers safety and is respected among the game’s best. A drawback to his all out reckless playing style were the injuries that inevitably came with. Polamalu missed over 30 career games with various physical ailments.

The latest version of menacing Steeler defense also features a marquee player at the back end. The Steelers hope to have hit the jackpot again when they traded their 2020 first round draft pick to acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick early during the 2019 campaign. While it is too early to place him on the same level with the aforementioned Shell and Polamalu, there can be no doubt that his rangy, ball-hawking style added a different dimension to the Steeler defense and did so immediately upon his arrival in the Steel City.

In his very first game as a Steeler, Fitzpatrick secured an interception and forced a fumble. Several weeks later, facing his former team, he recorded his first multi-interception game when he hauled in a pair of picks. In his 48 career games to date, Fitzpatrick has intercepted 11 passes and recovered four fumbles, with all but three of those turnovers coming after his trade to Pittsburgh.

A primary difference between Polamalu and Fitzpatrick is the role they play. As a free safety, Fitzpatrick mans the deepest parts of the field, whereas Polamalu played strong safety, often lining up close to the line of scrimmage and rushing the passer at a far more significant rate. With no sacks to his credit and only one quarterback hit, which incidentally came in Miami where they did have him playing strong safety, Fitzpatrick is unlikely to ever accumulate the amount of sacks that Polamalu did.

A similarity between the two players is evident when considering their playmaking abilities. Both safeties have tremendous ball skills and excellent closing speed, making any quarterback Leary about throwing in their direction. At 24 years old, Fitzpatrick’s career has really just begun. He has been active for every game in his first three seasons, starting in the last 40 consecutive contests. Steeler fans hold out hope that his overall career trajectory will be on par with those who have come before him in Pittsburgh. His ability in pass coverage will come in handy particularly in 2021, as the team is thin at the cornerback position. Scheming zone coverage to mitigate that weakness will be required. With a lot more football in him, my belief is that Fitzpatrick will assume the mantle of his predecessors and become the next in a line of great safeties in western Pennsylvania.

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