Throughout the period of the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Steelers always seemed to be finding ways to win even against all odds. From the “Immaculate Reception” to Super Bowl XIV, Chuck Noll and his Steelers had faced impossible odds; only to find a way to win. Throughout much of that decade, a mentality and a philosophy was essential to maintain their dominance. While Chuck Noll was constantly constructing ways to beat the Cowboys and Raiders of the world to ensure a Super Bowl would reach the Steel City, his philosophy for those 70’s teams became the foundation for not just his teams of the 70s but onward into the current day.

To quote the late Steelers Legend Dwight White from “America’s Game”:

“We understood what it took to get there. In fact, Noll had a statement in  ‘Whatever it Takes’. We bought into that and we bought into it big time.”

For players like Dwight White, Mike Wagner and others, doing whatever it takes to win meant just that; find a way to win the game for your team. Such a philosophy has been and continues to be imbeded into every Steelers player since the conclusion of Chuck Noll’s retirement. We shall call this “Emperor’s Will”, an omage to Chuck Noll’s nickname with his teachings. As many of us in SteelersNation found out yesterday, things did not go as well as the Steelers would have loved. However, specific individuals would find ways to pull through for the team allowed Pittsburgh to clinch its first win of the season. As such, today we shall honor those players who not only showcased expectional abilities but found ways to make key plays to secure the win. Before we begin though, a disclaimer.

This articles thoughts and opinions are soley reflected upon the author and is not a representation of other members or staff of TheSteelersFans community.

Now that we are done with introductions, it is time now to annoit those who have showcased the teachings of Chuck Noll.

Antonio Brown:

Widely reputed to be the best receiver in the league, Antonio Brown once again showcased this on a day in which he answered the “Bell”. Not only did he receive 11 passes thrown his way but also caught all 11 of them. Most impressive was that each pass yielded a major contribution towards the victory for Pittsburgh; the 11th one being the most critical. The stat line of 11 catches for 182 does seem quite nice but it was his ability to earn yards after the catch that became a critical turning point in the game. 94 total yards after the catch became a major reason as to why the Steelers were able to effectivley move the ball.

Add the fact that Antonio Brown accounted for roughly 55% of the teams offensive yards and one could easily make an argument that Antonio Brown can possibly be considered an NFL MVP candidate. On a day in which the majority of the offense was messy, Antonio Brown led the way for the team. While he did not record a score, another player who was challenged just before the start of the season.

Jesse James:

If Tomlin’s criticism of the tight end group was not enough, trading to obtain Vance McDonald was definitely the wake up call Jesse needed. After a lackluster showing in the preseason, Jesse had to find a way in order to ensure he remains the number one tight end and Big Ben’s security blanket. He not only found the endzone once but twice. In addition, he was able to find open spaces within the holes in Cleveland’s defense. He also showcased some of the traits Heath showed by blocking selflessly for Antonio on a big play the latter received. The most important aspect of Jesse’s development is the fact that Jesse, like Antonio, did whatever it took for his team to win by accounting for 100% of the teams redzone scores as well as their offensive touchdowns. Much like Antonio Brown, Jesse also had to answer the “Bell” when the offense struggled to do so.

Anthony Chickillo:

Incorrect. That is a word this writer would describe what Anthony Chickillo’s career has been dating back to his days at “The U”. Not only was his latent abilities and potential nearly ruined single-handedly by the infamous coach in Al Golden, the position he played was inadequate as well. Coming out of High School as a Five Star Recruit being a monstrous pass rusher, Chickillo’s development was stymied. In fact, during the 2015 NFL Draft, some even considered Chickillo to be at worst undraftable as some thought of him to be a player without a position. However, this did not nullify Tomln’s plans to draft him; still seeing that potential of him.

Three years later, two if accounting for the fact he had to learn his natural position all over again, much of Chickillo’s latent potential assisted Pittsburgh in getting the first points on the board. While many may have tossed aside Chickillo overall due to his lack of abilities, his two sack performance and consistent showcasing of his abilities assisted the Steelers into grinding down Clevelands rushing attack; spearheaded by the likes of Joe Thomas, Joe Bitonio and J.C. Tretter no less. Against Shon Coleman, Chickillo not only set the edge on rushing plays but also beat Shon consistenly in the passing game, so much so that Hue Jackson was forced to call upon the services of tight ends like David Njoku to assist him.

While the dominance of a second year offensive tackle does not seem too much for a third year player like Chickillo, bear in mind that, given the fact that Bud Dupree has missed consecutive season openers, Chickillo found a way to not only ensure that Keith Butler’s pass rush was steady but also the run defense as well. Much like how I started with Anthony and will end it as well, the general consenus about Anthony’s inability to be a player without a position were just as the first word of his performance; incorrect.

T.J. Watt:

Last week saw the premiere series of TheSteelersFans “X Factor” making its return; T.J. being the lead off for the 2017 season. Given the fact that he had to go up against a lock for Canton in Joe Thomas, a player who has played nearly 10,000 consecutive snaps, the odds were surely stacked against him. Bear in mind that, during the preseason, he went up against a top five offensive tackle in Jake Matthews and received some “Welcome to the NFL” moments. There was no gurantee that T.J. would have much success. In fact, T.J.’s performance was called on by many to be a major factor. While these pundits from beat writers and analysts were correct in stating that T.J.’s performance was going to be a major factor, few would have guessed what the rookie would do to a hall of famer.

Against Joe Thomas himself, Watt not only collected seven tackles but had two sacks against him. The most impressive aspect about T.J.’s performance was not just his ability to beat Joe but his ability to find ways to do so. Good pass rushers often use either their technique or athleticism to mask their deficiencies in counter moves. Great pass rushers have contingency plans should their initial attack plans fail. The former was T.J. during the preseason. The latter showed up on Sunday and delivered upon putting the heat on DeShone Kizer. It was his interception against DeShone towards the end of the third quarter that assisted Pittsburgh in controlling the remainder of the game.

Not only was this interception a hallmark of T.J.’s situational awareness and athleticism, it also showcased his ability to redeem himself after costing his team some yards a play earlier. To add a wonderful debut, T.J. became the first rookie ever to record two sacks and an interception in his first game. Even more impressive was that only two other players have done so since Charles Glaze and Tommy Haynes did it in 1987. Unlike Watt however, both Glaze and Haynes were replacement players, not rookies. While T.J. Watt will have his fair share of poor showcasings, Sunday’s performance does give not only him but SteelersNation that such occurances can be few and far between.

Given the fact that, in a divisional game in which the Steelers did not look like Super Bowl contenders, they did showcase some championship worthy traits that will yield more impact than it does currently. As Chuck Noll’s legacy carries on:

Whatever it takes.

Every dream takes shape when one is able to work hard to achieve them. Be it one’s objective to reach a new promotion at their job or obtaining their right to showcase their talents, everyone has some form of dream they want to accomplish, be it big or small. For the Steelers, their dream remains the same since the AFL-NFL merger took place in 1970: Be the last team standing. To that end, the organization has undergone over 50 years of change since then to nab six Super Bowl titles, making the Steelers the literal “Lord of The Rings” in the most popular sporting event in North America.

However, like each dream must come a nightmare. For Pittsburgh, shortly after the conclusion of the 2012 season, that nightmare finally surfaced. No longer were stalwart heroes like Troy Polamalu or Brett Kiesel making impact plays and saving the day. No longer was Casey Hampton clogging those rushing lanes and defeating opposing teams ability to smash through Pittsburgh’s defenses. Most importantly, no longer were the Steelers the class of the NFL when it came to their defense. From 2013 onward, the nightmare was a reality; Pittsburgh had approached a “winter” on its most celebrated phase of the game and SteelersNation weathered and endured every second.

 

 

Much like Warren Sapp stated way back when in 2011: “Too old. Too slow. They are done.”

 

However, within these last three years, SteelersNation and Mike Tomlin, through the most dark mists of this tumultuous winter, did see a glimpse of what was to become the beginning of a beautfiul spring. Like a radiant shine, Ryan Shazier, a young, eccentric rookie from Ohio State, flashed brillance in his first preseason action against the Buffalo Bills. Since then, Tomlin has found a fourmula for success much in the same vein his predeccessors did in Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher; draft exceptional athletes and transform them into great football players. After Shazier and his classmate Tuitt, Bud Dupree would come soon after. Artie Burns, Sean Daivs and Javon Hargrave would not only succeed Bud but would play an integral part of the defenses resurgence in the second half of the 2016 campaign.

One more piece however was needed as both SteelersNation and Mike Tomlin knew. To correct the mistakes of the past and to erase the final phase of the nightmare, a new radiant star with big dreams would have to shine brighter than the trepidation of his predecessor. One that would signal the end of the nightmare and correlate into a new era of defensive dominance.

 

 

Enter T.J. Watt.

 

Much like Ryan Shazier before him, T.J. Watt was the shining beacon that the Steeles have long sought after since 2010. Given the fact that his two brothers in J.J. and Derek had both assisted him in his development on what it takes to be NFL ready, many of us were excited to see just how bright this new form of light could shine.

 

It would not take long.

 

Against the New York Football Giants, T.J.’s first two plays had earned him two sacks. Not only was he getting sacks, he was also dispelling another misconception within the weaknesses he has heard within his 2017 draft profile; not strong enough agains the run. Given the fact that T.J. had tackles for loss against the Giants and showcased the ability to set the edge, much of those fears in itself were quelled as he showcased those run stuffing traits for the remainder of the Preseason. It was his continued evolution of his pass rushing ability that many of us wanted to see against Atlatna and more specifically, Indianapolis.

In neither game did T.J. record a sack or a pressure. However, in the Atlanta game, T.J. received his first unoffical “Welcome to the NFL” moment upon facing the talented Jake Matthews; son of the great Pro Football Hall of Fame Offensive Lineman Trent Matthews. While T.J. traded evenly with Jake on running plays going his way that day, he was humbled by Jake’s superior experience upon defeating T.J.’s ineffective tactic to bullrush and dip-rip the All Pro. However, while this was just preseason, his next test will come against a future Hall of Fame player in Joe Thomas.

 

 

Not only has Joe Thomas looked as solid as ever for the DawgPound, he still is a top five offensive tackle in the league after playing for 11 seasons. He may be 32 years of age but he still has plently to offer in protecting their newly anoited starter in rookie DeShone Kizer. This leads me to believe that T.J. Watt will play a big factor in Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

 

While I am certain that, much like his matchup against Jake Matthews, T.J. can hold his own against the run, it is the pass rush that will ultimatley decide Sunday’s contest. This is also not accounting for the fact that this form of the Cleveland Browns, while some years away, are starting to see the light as well within a much better offensive line. If Joe Bitonio was short on friends along the interior, having the likes of J.C. Tretter, a top 15 offensive center and Kevin Zeiter, a top 10 offensive guard, gives Cleveland more options to use when running the ball, be it offensive guard pulls or stretch runs. While this will not directly impact T.J., a much improved interior will be critical for T.J. to showcase his abilities to maintain the edge on short yardage situations.

 

More than just merely be a run stopping force though, T.J. will be tasked to best a future Hall of Famer in rushing the passser. Given the fact that Canton will not be too far off for Mr. Thomas, T.J. must use everything he has learned from training camp to just hold his own against him. Should he find success, Pittsburgh’s pass rush can and will make it tough for DeShone Kizer to find time to complete passes. Should he fail, the game overall could be much closer than others are making it out to be.

 

With the stage now set, two opposing forces will clash on Sunday. Will Pittsburgh’s newest radiant light be able to best a living legend? Time will tell as we will have to wait and see.