Three names stood out Thursday, despite Steelers loss to the Vikings
It’s not customary to give out game balls when a team loses, so that’s not what I’m going to do here in my postgame debrief of the Steelers 36-28 loss to the Vikings. Instead, there are three specific players who deserve recognition for putting the team in a position to potentially come back and win the game.
Here’s the trio I felt deserves some kudos for their above-the-line play.
Najee Harris
Harris scores twice, once on the ground and another via pass, rushing for 94 yards and adding another 10 yards receiving on three catches.
His motor never quit no matter what, with Troy Aikman specifically pointing out a third down play that announcer Joe Buck had already called dead, crediting the Minnesota defense for the stop.
His perseverance was infectious, and continues to be a shining light in a oftentimes dismal season.
Ahkello Witherspoon
Where in the heck has this guy been?
Okay, everything wasn’t perfect on Thursday, but then again, who could we say that about? The Steelers defense got gashed early and often, but Witherspoon made plays, including three passes defensed and a solid tackle on a run play right off of the edge, that helped the team stay above-board enough to make a comeback.
Of course, the two interceptions he made were huge, game altering plays that can’t go without being noticed.
Ben Roethlisberger
28 of 40 passing, 70% complete for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns with a 107.1 QB rating.
That was Roethlisberger’s stat line, which represents the second time he’s thrown for over 300 yards or for 3 touchdowns this season.
Oddly enough, Big Ben is 3-2 with a rating over 100 this season, losing to the Vikings and the Chargers in heartbreaking, fourth quarter comeback fashion.
However, anyone who thinks that the Steelers problems are on Roethlisberger alone, really needs to have their head examined, as he’s the main reason they are even able to make these games interesting until the last play.
