Steelers vs Washington: 4 takeaways from the first half
Stop me if you heard this one before. The Pittsburgh Steelers got out to a very slow start against the Washington Football Team but find themselves in the lead at halftime. Pittsburgh goes into halftime with a 14-3 lead. Here are our four big takeaways from the first half.
Mike Hilton is going to get paid
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When we previewed the game, cornerback Mike Hilton was one of the guys we said needed to step up. He clearly read the article and wanted to make us look smart. Hilton has been all over the field making plays in the run game and as a pass defender.
You can't flip a switch and run the football
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The Steelers treat the run game like a novelty and it shows. You can't just flip a switch and decided to run the football every 13 or 14 plays and expect anything good to happen. Benny Snell Jr. and Anthony McFarland are a combined nine carries for 12 yards.
Let Ben be Ben
Dec 7, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
If the Steelers are going to just hand the offense to Ben Roethlisberger, don't hold him back with a horizontal passing attack. Roethlisberger has over 200 passing yards at halftime and looks his best when he's pushing the ball further downfield.
When in doubt, trust the defense
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The Pittsburgh defense continues to just stifle any attempt Washington has made to move the football. Washington quarterback Alex Smith was held to 122 yards passing in the first half and the Washington run game has only mustered 15 yards.
