Tim Benz: Steelers' emergency players in secondary should get a longer look

After a successful effort holding down Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary will have another challenge on their hands Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins.

Two questions exist.

• Can they replicate what they did against the Bucs?

• Who will they deploy to do it?

One of the biggest storylines to emerge from Sunday’s win is how the Steelers managed to hold Brady to just 243 passing yards on 40 attempts with the back third of their defense completely patched over with recent signees, practice squad call-ups and second-stringers.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Sutton, Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon all missed the game because of injury. Terrell Edmunds was the only regular starter to suit up. James Pierre — who got four starts last year — was elevated to a starter’s role at cornerback. So were journeyman cornerback Josh Jackson and second-year safety Tre Norwood.

Meanwhile, summer waiver-claim Elijah Riley chipped in with nine defensive snaps, and September practice-squad signee Quincy Wilson had 11.

Yet Brady and his star receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, could only muster one touchdown drive during a 20-18 Steelers victory.

“You just wanna be ready at all times,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Just trying to do my job so, if my name is called, I’ll be ready.”

Given how the secondary bent in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets three games ago and how it was shredded by the Buffalo Bills the next week, it would only seem fair to ask head coach Mike Tomlin if those players earned consideration for an increased snap share, even when the established starters come back.

So I did.

“I think their individual and collective efforts are an asset to them and us moving forward,” Tomlin replied Tuesday. “We’ll make week-to-week decisions on who we utilize based on the people that are available to us and the matchup component and what gives us the best chance to win. It’s great to have viable guys. It’s great for guys to prove that they’re viable.”

Well, that was decidedly non-committal. Perhaps taking a cue from that response, Wilson hardly seemed willing to lobby for more playing time through the media.

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“We are all working towards that common goal. But I don’t think anyone is looking at it like that. We are just going to practice and work and have an opportunity every day to prove ourselves,” Wilson said.

Certainly, one thing that aided the defensive backs Sunday was an effective pass rush. While Brady was only sacked twice, he was hit three times and pressured six. He rarely looked comfortable and only completed 25 of 40 attempts — averaging just 3.9 completed air yards per pass attempt.

“It was key that we take a lot on as a rush,” linebacker Malik Reed said. “Affecting Brady, getting him off his spot. Making him uncomfortable. But in the back end, mixing things around, making (Brady) hesitate sometimes. They did a good job as well, executing the plan we put in.”

Now comes a different challenge against Miami’s offense. If, as expected, Tua Tagovailoa starts at quarterback, he and his star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can really do some damage.

The Dolphins are averaging 6.1 yards per play, the fifth-best number in football. At 285 passing yards per game, they are second in the league. At 8.2 yards per pass attempt, the team is third in the NFL.

Hill is tops in the NFL in receiving yards at 701. Waddle is fifth at 533.

“They stretch the field vertically. They do so very well,” Tomlin said. “Their play-action pass game is awesome. Tua is very good at turning his back to the defense and coming up throwing.”

While it would be great to have as many quality players as possible on the other side of the line of scrimmage from those Miami burners, there are only so many defensive backs Tomlin can dress in one game. And we have yet to mention the likes of nickelback Arthur Maulet and special teams ace Miles Killebrew.

As far as the injury report for Wednesday, Wallace was a full participant. Fitzpatrick was limited but said he’s ready to play Sunday. Sutton and Witherspoon were both limited as well, with Sutton probably having a better chance to suit up than Witherspoon. So perhaps just Jackson dresses this weekend.

But if things go poorly, Tomlin shouldn’t shy away from extending the audition window for the likes of Pierre, Norwood, Wilson and Riley next week in Philadelphia.

Or, at the very latest, back home at Acrisure Stadium against the New Orleans Saints after the bye.