Steelers "Make or Break" Players - Part 2



Jason Worilds Has Been an Impact
Player Since Coming Off the PUP List


-Mason Noland(@M_Noland386)

Before the season started I wrote an article about three members of the 2010 draft class who I deemed are coming into a "make or break" season. Now that we're five games into the season, let's take a look at how each is fairing so far...are they making it, or breaking it? I believe it is a fair assessment since we've passed the first quarter of the season.

We'll start on offense and look at Jonathan Dwyer. After a great preseason, it looked like Dwyer could be "the guy" at running back. He showed his toughness and ability to run between the tackles. I figured he'd at least be able to steal some carries as the season rolled on, alas, this hasn't come to be. He had a nice showing in the loss to Denver, with 41 yards on 9 carries backing up the equally ineffective Isaac Redman. That game had Steelers fans, self included, thinking he could take Redman's job. Then came the next two games. Dwyer got some tough yards, but didn't look as good against the Jets and then was almost nonexistent versus the Raiders. The Raiders game he actually had -1 yard. Needless to say, Steelers fans were happy to see Rashard Mendenhall come back to the fold. There is still a lot of season to redeem himself. The entire running backs unit has a lot of work to do to get back into Steelernation's good graces, however, so far, this has been a "Break" first quarter of the season for Dwyer. He hasn't dressed the past two games as Mendenhall has been active. He may see some action because Mendenhall tweaked his achilles and Redman busted his ankle in the Titans loss. I would like to see him do well, but I'm at the point where I would almost rather see the Steelers go with Baron Batch and Chris Rainey if Mendenhall and Redman cannot play.

The next two are on the Defensive side of the football with Stevenson Sylvester and Jason Worilds. Both started the season injured. Worilds wrist injury kept him on the physically Unable to perform list while Sylvester injured his MCL during the preseason. Only one of the two would be considered "making it" however. Sylvester has come back from his injury to be a non-factor. I don't see him on any sub packages on defense, or even spelling Larry Foote from time to time. I've seen his jersey on special teams, but not in any impactful way.Thurs far, he's having a "break it" season. Worilds, however, is becoming a break out player on the Steelers defense. He surprisingly leads the team in sacks so far with three. He has been one of the few disruptive players on a defense that has looked mediocre at best. It has taken him a few games to get warmed up, as he didn't play any preseason games. He's substituted for both Pro Bowl outside linebackers and has been a more than adequate replacement. I would in no way yet endorse him starting over James Harrison or LaMarr Woodley when both are healthy, but he has played himself into more playing time as well as future starting consideration when the need to permanently replacing Harrison comes around.

The 2010 Draft seems to have provided some keepers if they can stay healthy. Maurkice Pouncey, Jason Worilds, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown, all if healthy, can become cornerstones for the Steelers franchise going forward. It would be nice if Dwyer and Sylvester could become contributors of equal value as well. This season still has a lot of time left, which means players can start producing that haven't, and players who are producing can regress. I am hoping for the former, and hopefully see Worilds continue to ascend while Dwyer and Sylvester make their marks, and help turn the 2012 season around.