Pittsburgh Steelers: Studs and duds vs. Ravens in Week 5

Stud: T.J. Watt, LB

The Pro Bowl pass rusher has gotten his feet under him after a slow start to the season. Watt recorded 1.5 sacks in Week 4 and picked up three quarterback hits. Against the Ravens, Watt was on fire again. He recorded another sack to go along with three tackles for loss.

While the Steelers have several good defensive players, Watt has the most potential. He may only be in his third season, but the Steelers need him to play and lead like a veteran in his prime. Pittsburgh’s defense has relied on the pass rush to protect the secondary over the last two seasons. That puts the emphasis on Watt to perform and make his presence known every week.

Dud: Jaylen Samuels, RB

I want to know who told Samuels it was okay for him to throw the ball. The quarterback situation is bad enough, Pittsburgh doesn’t need running backs throwing interceptions. That’s exactly what Samuels did when he was running the wildcat offense. Deep in Pittsburgh’s own territory, Samuels’ poor throw gave Baltimore the ball in scoring position. The Ravens scored a field goal.

Samuels also dropped a pass in the fourth quarter, which stuck Pittsburgh with a third and long. The drive stalled out and the game remained 20-20. That’s nitpicking, but Samuels’ interception was the difference between a regulation win and an overtime loss.