Looking back at the plays, players that defined the 1st half of the Steelers' schedule

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t yet at the turn, as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith put it earlier this week, but Week 9 marked the midpoint of the NFL schedule.

Which makes it as good a time as any to look back at some of the noteworthy moments from the first half of the NFL season as it pertains to the Steelers.

Like the Steelers’ surge to the top of the AFC North with a 5-3 record, the first half featured its share of surprises on an individual level. Aaron Rodgers, at 41, was better than advertised. The tight ends helped carry the passing game. The defense, despite a flurry of offseason acquisitions, largely underachieved.

As the Steelers prepare to face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10 to venture into their back nine, here is a look at some highlights (and one lowlight) from the first eight games:

MVP: Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has been everything the Steelers could have imagined and more in the first half. He has thrown 17 touchdown passes — four more than Kenny Pickett had in two seasons and 25 games with the franchise. Rodgers also ranks tied for fourth in the NFL in touchdown passes.

Consider that if Rodgers keeps up his current pace over the final nine games, he will set the Steelers’ single-season touchdown passing record. Ben Roethlisberger holds the mark with 34 TD passes in 2018. Rodgers has surpassed that six times in 20 seasons.

Rodgers also ranks eighth in the league with a 103.1 passer rating.

Top offensive player (non-quarterback): DK Metcalf

Metcalf displayed breakaway speed on his 80-yard catch and run against the Minnesota Vikings. He’s continued to be the Steelers’ top receiving threat despite the constant attention defenses pay to him. His numbers aren’t flashy, but he is averaging 16.1 yards per catch and he leads the team with five receiving touchdowns.

Top defensive player: Jalen Ramsey

Five-time team MVP T.J. Watt usually is a shoo-in for such awards, but his so-so start has allowed Ramsey to emerge as the best player on the NFL’s highest-paid — and arguably most heavily scrutinized — defensive unit.

While the other veteran addition at cornerback, Darius Slay, has struggled at times and has seen his playing time decrease, Ramsey has been a savior for the secondary. Whether he’s playing outside corner, in the slot or at free safety as was the case against Indianapolis, he has displayed his All-Pro pedigree. Imagine where the Steelers defense, which ranks No. 30 in total yards allowed and tied for No. 21 in most points yielded, would be without him.

Top special teams player: Chris Boswell

Brandin Echols, Kenny Gainwell and Ben Skowronek have displayed some splashy moments, but Boswell is the game-changer on this unit and arguably could have finished as the team MVP in 2024.

Boswell’s 60-yard field goal in the opener provided the Steelers with one win. He has made 16 of 18 tries this season, with one of those misses being a blocked kick. The other was attributed to poor grass conditions at Acrisure Stadium when Boswell slipped on his approach.

Boswell has made six kicks from 50 yards or longer, proving he picked up where he left off last season when he made the All-Pro team.

Top rookie: Derrick Harmon

This one really is no contest. His debut was delayed by two weeks because of a knee injury, but since he has joined the defensive line rotation, Harmon has helped solidify the run defense. He also has a sack and has helped collapse the pocket on the pass rush. His presence has helped the Steelers collect 27 sacks after finishing with 40 a year ago.

Most improved player: Troy Fautanu

Payton Wilson and Nick Herbig deserve consideration, but Fautanu arguably has been the most consistent performer on the offensive line. He has turned heads with his run and pass blocking, and he has served as a dependable right tackle. Wilson’s candidacy heated up the past two weeks. Herbig has 4¹⁄₂ sacks and leads the Steelers with 14 quarterback hits as the team’s No. 3 pass rusher.

Most memorable play, offense: DK Metcalf’s 80-yard TD against Minnesota

Metcalf’s first 100-yard receiving game with the Steelers was aided greatly by his burst that stunned the Vikings in Dublin. Metcalf outran everyone on his way to an 80-yard score on a slant pass that gave the Steelers a 14-3 lead on the way to a 24-21 victory.

Most memorable play, defense: Payton Wilson chasing down Jordan Addison against Minnesota

A miscommunication in the secondary led to Addison being wide open on the sideline, and he took a pass 81 yards with three minutes left in the game. It would have counted as an 82-yard touchdown if not for Wilson. He chased down Addison and tackled the receiver at the 1. The Vikings eventually scored, but Wilson’s hustle helped shave valuable time off the clock and allowed the Steelers to hold on for the win.

Most memorable offensive play on U.S. soil: Pat Freiermuth’s fourth-quarter TD reception vs. Bengals

The Steelers had blown a 10-0 lead and trailed 30-24 when Freiermuth took advantage of blown coverage to go 68 yards for a score that provided a lead with 2 minutes, 21 seconds remaining. The fairytale ending was ruined when the Steelers allowed a winning field goal with 7 seconds left. The touchdown proved, though, that Freiermuth, who had two scores in the game, remains a viable part of the offense.

Most memorable defensive play on U.S. soil: T.J. Watt strip sack against Indianapolis

On the heels of back-to-back losses, the Steelers trailed 7-0 in the second quarter against the Colts, who were driving again inside Steelers territory. Watt stripped Daniel Jones of the ball and recovered the fumble. The Steelers scored on the next drive to begin a run of 24 unanswered points against the team with the AFC’s best record.

Most memorable gaffe: Kaleb Johnson failing to field a kickoff against Seattle

The Steelers trailed early in the fourth quarter after a Seahawks field goal. Then, Johnson inexplicably failed to recover the kickoff that landed in front of him, bounced over his head and rolled into the end zone. While Johnson was heading to the sideline, apparently believing the ball was dead (like in college), Seahawks player George Holani recovered in the end zone. Suddenly, the Steelers trailed by 10, and they wouldn’t catch up, ruining the home opener. Johnson, the team’s rookie third-round pick, hasn’t been seen on kickoff return duty since.