Funny how a good report card falls on such a delicate line between pass and fail, between victory and defeat. If Michael Vick doesn’t fumble into the end zone. If Antonio Brown doesn’t drop a touchdown pass or Jerricho Cotchery doesn't slip two yards shy of the end zone. If a third-down conversion failed instead in the final minutes. If Shaun Suisham’s 34-yard kick sailed wide instead.
In the end, the Steelers endured Vick’s two turnovers, their own foibles (nine penalties for 108 yards) and more defensive injuries in a 16-14 triumph over the Eagles on Sunday. Winning on a last-second field goal was a heck of a lot more productive than losing on one, as they had two weeks ago in Oakland.
Offense: B
Welcome back, Rashard Mendenhall. Any longtime Steelers observer will admit to a there-he-goes-again moment when Mendenhall rushed for no gain on his opening carry, but then he rolled to 81 yards on his next 13 rushes -- and added 20 yards on two catches out of the backfield. See, new tweaks in the Todd Haley offense may truly highlight Mendenhall, who prodded the Steelers to a season-high 136 yards rushing and 4.4-yard average. Oh, the passing game? It was as ugly as the gray, misty day. Ben Roethlisberger was off target, and Brown and Mike Wallace dropped four would-be catches between them. The offensive line didn’t permit a sack, but Willie Colon had four penalties called against him. No, the ground game rescued the Steelers on this day.
Previous game’s grade: C
Defense: B-
The Steelers caused a couple of Vick’s three fumbles. They put the clamps on LeSean McCoy and the Eagles running game at 78 yards and a 3.4-yard average. And they got a decent rush on Vick, forcing bad passes and limiting the Eagles to one play longer than 15 yards. Still, there were troubling spots. Safety Troy Polamalu (calf) and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) exited due to injuries in the first quarter and will likely miss at least Thursday night in Tennessee. Moreover, the Eagles did muster half of their 246 yards on their final three possessions, scoring touchdowns to take a 14-13 lead on two of those drives. No longer is this a Pittsburgh defense that gets better, tougher as a game progresses.
Previous game’s grade: D
Special teams: A
Suisham’s game-winner, his fifth with the Steelers (and first since Indianapolis Sept. 25, 2011), certainly raises the grade. But two rookies cinched an A performance. Punter Drew Butler dropped one inside the 20 and averaged 46.3 yards and, more important, a 43-yard net. And tailback Chris Rainey added a 44-yard kickoff return. After three touchdown returns have been called back due to penalties since the final preseason game, he amazingly found no flags littering the field in this game.
Previous game’s grade: D
Coaching: B+
Mike Tomlin called a quizzical timeout with 12 seconds remaining, then had the Steelers go back and try another play -- but not a pass into the end zone. Tomlin and Dick LeBeau have to be wondering about their banged-up defense: That’s two games in succession where the once-staunch unit has failed to retain a lead. The defense was well prepared and up to the challenge through most of three quarters. The coaches may have played James Harrison (knee) and Mendenhall too long in their season debuts due to injury, especially with a short week leading to Thursday in Nashville.
Previous game’s grade: C
Follow Steelers reporter Chuck Finder on Twitter @CBSSteelers and @cfinder.
