After a tight first half, the Pittsburgh Steelers blew past the New York Jets over the final two quarters in Week 7, winning by a score of 37-15.
Instrumental in the victory was tight end Pat Freiermuth, who not only had two huge receptions but also blocked well for running back Najee Harris throughout the game. The day after the Sunday Night Football win, Freiermuth posted a message on his Instagram story for fans.
It read: “On to the next 😤.” And also included a photo of his impressive one-handed grab against the Jets.
Freiermuth finished second in receiving yards behind star wide receiver George Pickens on Sunday night — with 2 catches for 51 yards. This one-two punch followed a common Steelers trend that’s occurred throughout the year.
On the season, Pickens leads all Pittsburgh pass-catchers with 31 receptions for 474 yards. Then — as he was against the Jets — Freiermuth is second with 24 receptions for 245 yards. Third on the list is wide receiver Calvin Austin III.
Pat Freiermuth Says Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Called Upon ‘A Players’ to Show Up vs. Jets
Freiermuth was interviewed by the NBC SNF crew after the game, and he relayed a very “cool” message from head coach Mike Tomlin to the Steelers players ahead of Week 7.
“[Tomlin] said it was an A player game,” Freiermuth revealed (via Steelers Depot). “A players need to show up.”
“The whole week he was preaching that and the cool thing about Coach T is that he doesn’t specify Cam [Heyward], T.J. [Watt], like he challenges the whole team,” the tight end explained. “If you believe you are an A player, go show it on the biggest stage.”
After another solid performance, Freiermuth can certainly identify as an “A player” on October 21. The tight end has been a huge part of the offensive system that the Steelers are trying to win behind under Arthur Smith.
That’s part of why Pittsburgh handed the former second-round talent a four-year, $48.4 million extension on September 6.
Steelers Receivers & Tight Ends Earns ‘B+’ Grade in Week 7
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat reporter Ray Fittipaldo graded each position group after the Week 7 victory over the Jets, and the receivers and tight ends earned a “B+” in his eyes.
“George Pickens was the biggest beneficiary of the change at quarterback,” he wrote on October 20. “After being nearly invisible in some games when Justin Fields was the quarterback, Pickens had five catches for 111 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season.”
Fittipaldo also noted that wide receiver Van Jefferson “scored his first touchdown of the season” and “six pass catchers had at least one catch of 10 yards or more, including a 36-yarder to Calvin Austin and a 30-yarder to tight end Pat Freiermuth.”
“Who says the Steelers need to trade for a receiver?” The reporter quipped to close out the section.
It was an impressive showing from Russell Wilson and the Steelers offense, but it may be wise for Pittsburgh to remain proactive. The Jets secondary was short several starting defensive backs during the second half of Sunday’s victory, and the Steelers offense is a long way from perfect.
Perhaps Wilson can continue to elevate this group of pass-catchers better than Fields could, and perhaps the best is yet to come as the veteran QB develops more and more chemistry with his playmakers, but in the NFL it’s usually smart add extra talent and depth whenever you’re in pursuit of a Super Bowl.
Injuries occur often. Things change week to week. And once the trade deadline passes, you’re largely stuck with what you’ve got.
