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Pittsburgh Steelers: Studs and duds vs. Chargers in Week 6

By Samuel Teets

CARSON, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: Quarterback Devlin Hodges #6 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers greet each other following a game at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
CARSON, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 13: Quarterback Devlin Hodges #6 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers greet each other following a game at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /
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CARSON, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 13: Defensive end Tyson Alualu #94 and linebacker Devin Bush #55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate a touchdown during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
CARSON, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 13: Defensive end Tyson Alualu #94 and linebacker Devin Bush #55 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrate a touchdown during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /

Stud: Devin Bush, LB

Early in the first quarter, the rookie first-round pick scooped up a backward pass and returned it for the first score of the game. Just a few minutes later, Philip Rivers had a pass batted up into the air by Tyson Alualu, and Bush intercepted the lame duck. He also led the Steelers in combined tackles with seven.

It seems like the Steelers were right to trade up for Bush in the 2019 NFL Draft. So far, Bush is right up there with Nick Bosa and Brian Burns, competing for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Bush’s four fumble recoveries lead the NFL, and he already has 52 combined tackles in his five starts.

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That being said, Bush still has to focus on making more tackles. Too often he misses opportunities or just gets juked. With his speed and athleticism, there’s no excuse for botched plays other than inexperience. Bush’s pass coverage also needs work.

Dud: Cameron Heyward, DT

This is a controversial decision. Heyward and Pittsburgh’s defensive front had a good game, but I think Heyward is good enough to do more for the Steelers. Against the Chargers, Heyward made three combined tackles and failed to secure a tackle for loss or quarterback hit. In his previous two outings before Sunday, Heyward had recorded 3.5 sacks and five quarterback hits.

Despite his low production, Heyward and Pittsburgh’s defensive front do deserve credit for bottling up Los Angeles’ run game. As a team, the Chargers ran the ball 14 times but only gained 32 yards. That’s an average of 2.3 yards per carry. Melvin Gordon was held to eight carries for 18 yards, which also equals 2.3 yards per carry.

T.J. Watt was the real star of Pittsburgh’s pass rush. Even though the Steelers only sacked Rivers once, Watt put four quarterback hits on the veteran signal-caller. While Watt is the muscle and producer for Pittsburgh’s pass rush, Heyward is unquestionably the heart. That’s why it’s so important for him to be involved.

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