The Steelers move to 2-1 on the season with a 37-19 win over Carolina. While there were plenty of positives, there were some unfortunate negatives too.
-The negative story of the night were the injuries. Ryan Shazier left in the 3rd with a knee injury. Ike Taylor departed with a broken arm and Jarvis Jones left with a wrist problem.
-Antonio Brown recorded his 19th straight game with at least five receptions and 50+ yards.
-The Steelers ran for 264 yards last night which is the most rushing yards under Mike Tomlin. Both Le’Veon Bell and LeGararrette Blount went over 100 yards on the evening.
-Cam Heyward was a beast last night. He brought down Cam Newton on a sack with one hand that was wiped out by a penalty. He was in the face of Newton all night. The Steelers sacked Cam Newton three times and hit him a number of other times as well.
-The last time two Steelers running backs both went over 100 yards rushing was in 1986 when Earnest Jackson and Walter Abercrombie did it.
-The biggest question of the night? Why did Lance Moore play only one snap?
-Mike Tomlin called last night’s crowd ‘hostile.’ Uh Mike? There was a HUGE contingent of Steeler Nation in the stadium last night. It was anything but hostile.
-We can make all the excuses in the world as to how but the Steelers defense gave up just 42 yards rushing after getting obliterated in the first two weeks. The Panthers were banged up in the backfield but still, a good showing by a unit that needed it.
-Ben Roethlisberger had a much better night than he did against Baltimore. He went 22 for 30 for 190 yards and two touchdowns. That’s a rating of 112.
-Kudos to Mike Munchak and the O-line who looked pretty rough early on last night. Big Ben ended up being sacked just once after dealing with some early pressure.
-Cody Wallace got the start for Ramon Foster last night who was out with an ankle injury. Much like he did at center late in the season last year, Wallace was adequate. He got beat a few times but he also more than held his own too.
-The Steelers host Tampa Bay next Sunday.
Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteelDad and the website @SCBlitz. Check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/steelcityblitz and on Fancred.com. You can hear him weekly during the season on Trib-Live Radio Steelers Pre-Game.
photo courtesy cbssports.com
