Watch: L.J. Fort makes defensive play of the game

Steel City Underground will pick a play of the game from each side of the ball each week of the Steelers 2017 season. Stay tuned as we hand select the very best from the black and gold!

Okay, so this might be a bit of a reach considering T.J. Watt’s strip sack ended a wild Steelers win Sunday night over the Baltimore Ravens. However, the outcome of this single play can’t go unnoticed.

L.J. Fort is a relative unknown. The undrafted linebacker has been on and off of the Steelers active roster and practice squad, with some even suggesting he was in the team’s doghouse earlier this year when an errant press release from the team had noted Fort was “terminated” from the team. (Typically such releases use terms like “released” so it appeared much harsher!)

In reality, Fort was the casualty of roster moves to make up for injuries and other cases, something which frequently occurs with the bottom portion of a team’s 53-man roster. He later returned to the practice squad and again back to the active roster, before being plunged into duty following injuries to Ryan Shazier and Tyler Matakevich against the Bengals. The Steelers felt so strongly against sticking with Fort as their starter that they moved outside linebacker Arthur Moats inside, while also signing former third-round pick Sean Spence, who has been out of football for nearly two months.

Yet, when Moats and Spence faltered, the team went back to Fort, and he delivered when needed most.

The Ravens recognized the Steelers weakness in the middle of their defense on their very first play following the Steelers taking a one-point lead with 42 seconds left in the game. Baltimore QB Joe Flacco attacked with a pass across the middle intended for WR Jeremy Maclin, but Fort, who dropped into coverage, not only broke up the pass but startled Maclin during the play.

Due to Maclin’s injury within two minutes, the Ravens were charged a timeout, their final one. Therefore Fort’s play not only stopped the Ravens progress downfield, but also took additional time off of the clock, handicapping any chance Baltimore had for a game-winning drive.

 


Suggested articles from our sponsors