After a close first half, the Pittsburgh Steelers surged past the New York Jets in the final two quarters of Week 7, securing a 37-15 victory.
A key contributor to the win was tight end Pat Freiermuth, who made two crucial receptions and provided strong blocking for running back Najee Harris throughout the game. The day after the Sunday Night Football victory, Freiermuth shared a message with fans on his Instagram story.
Freiermuth finished second in receiving yards for the game, trailing only wide receiver George Pickens. He recorded 2 catches for 51 yards, continuing a trend seen throughout the season where Pickens leads Pittsburgh’s receivers. Pickens has 31 receptions for 474 yards, while Freiermuth follows with 24 catches for 245 yards. Wide receiver Calvin Austin III ranks third.
In a post-game interview with NBC’s Sunday Night Football crew, Freiermuth shared a message from head coach Mike Tomlin, which fired up the team leading up to Week 7.
“[Tomlin] said it was an ‘A player’ game,” Freiermuth revealed (via Steelers Depot). “A players need to show up.”
Freiermuth explained that Tomlin didn’t just challenge stars like Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt, but the entire team. “If you believe you are an A player, go show it on the biggest stage,” the tight end said.
Freiermuth, who has been a key part of Pittsburgh’s offense, can certainly claim “A player” status after his strong performance. The Steelers clearly value his contributions, having signed him to a four-year, $48.4 million extension on September 6.
Steelers Receivers & Tight Ends Earn ‘B+’ Grade in Week 7
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ray Fittipaldo graded the Steelers’ position groups after the Week 7 win, giving the receivers and tight ends a “B+.”
“George Pickens was the biggest beneficiary of the quarterback change,” Fittipaldo wrote on October 20. “After being nearly invisible in games with Justin Fields under center, Pickens had five catches for 111 yards and scored his first touchdown of the season.”
Fittipaldo also highlighted Van Jefferson’s first touchdown of the year and noted that six Steelers receivers had at least one catch of 10 yards or more, including a 36-yard grab by Calvin Austin and a 30-yard reception by Freiermuth.
“Who says the Steelers need to trade for a receiver?” Fittipaldo joked.
Though it was a strong performance from Russell Wilson and the Steelers offense, Pittsburgh may still want to consider adding depth. The Jets’ secondary was missing several starters during the second half, and the Steelers’ offense still has room for improvement.
If Wilson continues to build chemistry with his receivers, the group could continue to grow, but in the NFL, it’s often wise to add talent whenever possible, especially with the postseason in sight.
Injuries happen, and things can shift from week to week. Once the trade deadline passes, teams are mostly stuck with their roster for the rest of the season.
