Week 1’s Pittsburgh Steelers Z-Factor

In every NFL game, a single play and/or player can dramatically affect the outcome. Some players can alter a game’s outcome more than others, like the quarterback position. The quarterback touches the football every single offensive play that his team has possession. So, it would make sense to name Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, as the first ever “Z-Factor” from Steel City Underground, but that would be much too easy.

The Z-factor is meant to be a difficult, unique, and out-of-the-box choice of player. Each week of this NFL season I will be highlighting one player (offense or defense) from the Pittsburgh Steelers whom I believe can either win or lose the game.

Since this will be the first ever Z-factor, I want to start off with a real bang. We want to start off with someone who can flip the field. We want to start out with someone who we all are anxious to see.

I present to you the Z-factor for week one: wide receiver Martavis Bryant.

Was there ever any doubt I would pick Martavis? We have been deprived of his freakish talent for an entire year, and then some! Bryant, as well all know, was suspended for the entire 2016 NFL season for marijuana. When news broke of the suspension, a lot of fans shut the door on Bryant, but not me. It was disappointing to see Martavis make these mistakes, but I wasn’t ready to give up all hope on the kid, and I’ll tell you why.

Bryant has played in a total of 21 regular season games during his 3-year career, and that’s not much. During that span, however, the receiver accumulated 76 receptions off 141 targets with a 17.3 average yard per catch! To put that average in perspective, wide receiver DeSean Jackson (one of the best deep threats of our generation) has a 17.7 average yards per catch over the course of his entire career.

Within the twenty-one games played by Bryant, he has also found the end zone 15 times. (14 through the air and one on the ground.)

According to ESPN.com, over the past eleven games specifically that Bryant played, he has averaged 1.45 targets in the red zone, per game. That 1.45 average was the highest rated in the entire NFL over that stretch of time.

In other words, Martavis Bryant is a living, breathing, splash play waiting to happen.

Since being suspended, Martavis has reportedly added 20 pounds of muscle to his 6’4″ frame and completely recommitted himself to his craft. The 25-year-old was recently blessed with the birth of his first child and has shown the little playmaker off on social media.

Bryant has been showing us all a lot on social media. In a world where some say “if you don’t post it, it didn’t happen.” Bryant has certainly had some happening work outs to post. He has seemingly taken a page from James Harrison‘s book and has transformed himself into a gym rat of sorts. Of course, this could all be for show, but I severely doubt it. Martavis finally realized what’s important in life, and got himself up out of the downward spiral which began his career. That’s great news for us Steelers fans, and bad news for those Brownies on Sunday.

With former Browns cornerback Joe Haden coming over to the dark side (dark side is cooler), and the release of veteran safety Calvin Pryor, the Cleveland secondary appears in flux. Jamarr Taylor and Jason McCourty are going to attempt to cover not only Martavis Bryant but Antonio Brown as well. It’s pretty safe to assume that whoever is better will be trying to stop AB, so that means Bryant will see their second best corner, and he will cook him.

Martavis Bryant is my first ever choice for the Steel City Underground’s Z-factor, and I feel mighty confident about him. My prediction for Bryant’s stat line: 8 receptions for 126 yards, and a touchdown, plus at least one rush for a first down.


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