Much to the dismay of Steelers fans, the team’s Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles brought their Super Bowl aspirations crashing back down to Earth. Coupled with an extremely difficult final three weeks to close out the 2024 season, the negativity in the air is palpable.
However, analyzing what went wrong during these trying times has brought about a newfound appreciation for perhaps the best player on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in 2024: SS DeShon Elliot.
PFF, while known for their less-than-remarkable grades for the Black and Gold, recognizes Elliot as the second-best run-stopping safety in the 2024 season.
Elliot missed the team’s Week 15 contest and is scheduled to miss the Week 16 contest against the Baltimore Ravens as well. His ability to stop the run, drop back into coverage, rush the passer, consistently make great tackles, and lead the secondary were all aspects sorely missed in the team’s loss to the Eagles. Without Elliot, the defense failed to stop the Philadelphia Eagles offense from taking over the second half in Week 15.
Could the absence of Elliot in Week 16 lead to consecutive losses for the Black and Gold, further solidifying his position as the MVP of the Steelers defense?
