The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a hard-fought victory against the division rival Baltimore Ravens, who they defeated by a score of 16-13 on Sunday night in Baltimore. This win, along with an absolutely perfect Sunday slate around the league for the Steelers, kept the team's playoff hopes alive as they move towards their Week 18 matchup with the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett In Week 17 Against The Baltimore Ravens | Photo Credit: Steelers/Karl Roser
As the team moves to 8-8 on the season, their rookie class continues to be a key part of the team's success. Obviously, first-round-pick Quarterback Kenny Pickett is the one who gets most of the attention as he orchestrated his second game-winning drive, the first of which came against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Pickett is continuing to prove to Steeler Nation that he is everything they hoped he would be so far in his rookie season. In addition, second-round pick Wide Receiver George Pickens continues to impress and draw "oohs & ahhs" from everyone watching him play. Pickens made several big catches over the last two weeks, which included the game-winning touchdown against the Raiders in Week 16.
Having your first two-round picks as contributors in their rookie seasons would make most teams extremely happy, but the Steelers appear to have one of their best rookie classes in recent memory.
In the win against the Ravens, two other rookies played huge roles on the defense which limited the Ravens to 13 points in the contest and a total of 120 rushing yards, which is an impressive feat since they topped the 200-yard mark on the ground when these two teams played in Pittsburgh. These two rookies are third-round pick Defensive Lineman DeMarvin Leal and seventh-round pick Linebacker Mark Robinson.
Leal has been getting work in on the defense throughout the season, typically rotating in at defensive end behind Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi, as well as occasionally at outside linebacker on early downs. Against the Ravens, Leal received his highest snap share at 52 percent, as the team utilized a six-man front to help slow down J.K. Dobbins and company.
Pittsburgh Steelers LB TJ Watt and DL DeMarvin Leal make a stop against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 | Photo Credit: Steelers/Karl Roser
Robinson on the other hand drew his first career NFL start and played 50 percent of the defensive snaps after playing a total of seven defensive snaps prior, as well as it only being his third game being active. This came as a surprise to many as this left LB Devin Bush on the sideline for much of the evening.
These two rookies getting an increased amount of playing time, and playing very well, drew the praise of reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt after the game. Below is what Watt had to say about the two rookies' impressive performances.
"Mark throws his face in the fan every time, he is going to hit hard. I'm super proud of the development he is showing this year. Leal, he's a 'yes' guy. He's going to do whatever it takes to win for this team, whether it's dropping in coverage, or rushing the passer, or sitting in the C-gap. I'm really proud of those guys."
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 08: T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts during warm up before a game against the Chicago Bears at Heinz Field on November 08, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Getting the additional playing time in such an important, divisional game is definitely something that Leal and Robinson can be proud of in their rookie seasons. Earning that playing time and getting the trust of the coaching staff is not easy to do as a rookie for the Steelers. Getting the praise from one of the team's leaders in Watt for their performances after the game is only going to continue to build the confidence for these two and hopefully help them continue to carry over their excellent play.
What did you think about the performance of Robinson and Leal this past Sunday? Let us know in the comments below!
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